Ever since the departure of LaMarcus Aldridge, the Portland Trail Blazers have been viewed as a team that is top heavy in its backcourt. Between superstar Damian Lillard and budding star C.J McCollum, the Blazers have a legitimate shot at having a top three guard duo in the league. Unfortunately, the backcourt brilliance hasn't been matched in the frontcourt.
When center Jusuf Nurkic went down for the season with a broken leg, many assumed the Blazers were doomed. Instead, Enes Kanter has stepped up in Nurkic's absence and provided quality minutes. Al-Farouq Aminu had also had an excellent playoff run.
However, the injuries and pressure have taken their toll. Kanter has been playing with a separated left shoulder and is constantly wincing in pain on the court. Players with less playoff experience like Moe Harkless and Zach Collins failed to keep up with the Denver Nuggets' frontcourt in Game 4.
Kanter, Harkless, and Collins combined for only 13 points on five of 15 shooting from the field. They turned the ball over seven times collectively, while only distributing four assists.
The biggest obstacle for Portland will be dealing with this frontcourt problem in Game 5. Even if McCollum and Lillard are brilliant, the Blazers could still let a game slip with no production from the forwards. This was proven true in Game 4 when the Blazer stars went for a combined 57 points but couldn't bring home a victory.
Head coach Terry Stotts will make some adjustments to his lineups for the pivotal Game 5. Perhaps we will see more of Evan Turner, or even a few minutes for Jake Layman after he did not make an appearance in Game 4. Stotts will desperately need someone to provide some more firepower for his guard stars.
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