Blazers' decision to switch to a three-guard lineup 'really wasn't that difficult'

technical details

is_video => true
is_chrome_page => null
article_body => "When Norman Powell arrived in Portland after a March 25, trade-deadline deal with Toronto, the Trail Blazers switched to a three-guard starting lineup.<\/p>\r\n\r\nDerrick Jones Jr. was replaced by Powell. And at the same time, Jusuf Nurkic returned to the starting lineup from a wrist injury and things got better for the Trail Blazers at both ends of the floor.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nWas the lineup change a tough decision for the coaching staff?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nNot really. Actually, there was no decision to make.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cHe was coming in as a starter,\u201d Coach Terry Stotts said Wednesday. \u201cThat was an easy decision. The first game he played was Orlando, and Dame didn't play that game. But ever since then, I think the plan was for him to be a starter, so that really wasn't that difficult.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nAnd it has proved to be a great trade for Portland. Powell has provided three-point shooting, defense and floor spacing that has been a part of the Blazers\u2019 late-season resurgence. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cFrom day one, that that group of Dame, CJ and Norman has consistently been a positive, productive threesome. So, to continue along that way, was really not that difficult, either.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nThere has been an adjustment, but Lillard seems to like the way it has turned out.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cI mean, it's been cool,\u201d he said. \u201cYou know, I think everything in our league now is numbers-based. Everybody's talking about the numbers with this lineup, the numbers with that lineup -- when this guy's on the court and when that guy's on the court.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cI believe the decision was based off what the numbers looked like with that three-guard lineup on the floor.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cAnd I think we played well. You know, I think Norm gives us an element that we didn't have next to me and CJ. You know, it\u2019s another guy who can handle the ball, get to the rim, get to the free-throw line. Just a physical athlete with the ability to do the things that he's been doing since he's been here. He gives us a different look.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n \u201cAnd, you know, he's also a big guard. He's not really tall, but he's physically present, physically strong and athletic so he can guard those bigger wings and, you know, I feel like the lineup has worked for us.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nSo does Stotts \u2013 who also includes Nurkic in that picture.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cI think defensively, it's been solid,\u201d said the Portland coach. \u201cFrankly, it coincided with Nurk coming back, so I think it's difficult to separate all of that because we got Norman and Nurk back at the same time.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cSo, they all play together. That has to be part of it as well. But I think we've been a slightly better offensive team. We were already a top five offensive team. But defensively, adding him and Nurk is kind of what tipped the scales.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n"
created => 1621462442
changed => 1621463367
status => true
hero_image_credit => "USA Today"
tags => null
field_bean_single_col => null
section => null
orig_image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1979","height":"1410","uri":"public:\/\/article\/hero\/USATSI_16078474_168393345_lowres.jpg","timestamp":1621462442}
image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1979","height":"1410","uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/\/2021\/05\/19\/USATSI_16078474_168393345_lowres.jpg","timestamp":1621462442}
video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/video\/bold-predictions-heading-blazers-nuggets-series"
is_mediaid => true
mediaid => "ogNHBk1knOl1"
video_autoplay => null
video_automute => null
mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
player_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/vplayer\/p\/BxmELC\/northwest_main\/select\/media\/ogNHBk1knOl1?form=html&autoPlay=false"
chrome_data => null
description => "Terry Stotts says decision wasn't tough because Norman Powell was brought in as a starter."
league => "NBA"
league_id => "101"
sport => "Basketball"
sport_id => "6"
eyebrow => "Trail Blazers"
image_caption => "Carmelo Anthony, Damian Lillard, Robert Covington, CJ McCollum, Norman Powell"
image_credit => "USA Today"
no_promo => false
no_trending_in_body => false
no_recirc => false
no_trend => false
short_title => "Damian Lillard on switch to three-guard lineup: 'It's been cool'"
sponsorship_type => "presented_by"
type => "article"
alias => "\/northwest\/trail-blazers\/blazers-decision-switch-three-guard-lineup-really-wasnt-difficult"
title => "Blazers' decision to switch to a three-guard lineup 'really wasn't that difficult'"
nid => "462566"
author_0 => "Dwight Jaynes"
author_0_id => "15891"
mps => {"author_0":"Dwight Jaynes"}
region => "northwest"
region_id => "5"
sponsor => null
sponsor_id => null
team_id => "136"
team => "Trail Blazers"
published => 1621461924
article_type => "short"
meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/northwest\/trail-blazers\/blazers-decision-switch-three-guard-lineup-really-wasnt-difficult.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/\/2021\/05\/19\/USATSI_16078474_168393345_lowres.jpg"]}

Trail Blazers

/ by Dwight Jaynes

Trail Blazers

Dwight Jaynes

Trail Blazers

When Norman Powell arrived in Portland after a March 25, trade-deadline deal with Toronto, the Trail Blazers switched to a three-guard starting lineup.

Derrick Jones Jr. was replaced by Powell. And at the same time, Jusuf Nurkic returned to the starting lineup from a wrist injury and things got better for the Trail Blazers at both ends of the floor.

Was the lineup change a tough decision for the coaching staff?

Not really. Actually, there was no decision to make.

“He was coming in as a starter,” Coach Terry Stotts said Wednesday. “That was an easy decision. The first game he played was Orlando, and Dame didn't play that game. But ever since then, I think the plan was for him to be a starter, so that really wasn't that difficult.”

And it has proved to be a great trade for Portland. Powell has provided three-point shooting, defense and floor spacing that has been a part of the Blazers’ late-season resurgence.

“From day one, that that group of Dame, CJ and Norman has consistently been a positive, productive threesome. So, to continue along that way, was really not that difficult, either.”

There has been an adjustment, but Lillard seems to like the way it has turned out.

“I mean, it's been cool,” he said. “You know, I think everything in our league now is numbers-based. Everybody's talking about the numbers with this lineup, the numbers with that lineup -- when this guy's on the court and when that guy's on the court.

“I believe the decision was based off what the numbers looked like with that three-guard lineup on the floor.

“And I think we played well. You know, I think Norm gives us an element that we didn't have next to me and CJ. You know, it’s another guy who can handle the ball, get to the rim, get to the free-throw line. Just a physical athlete with the ability to do the things that he's been doing since he's been here. He gives us a different look.

“And, you know, he's also a big guard. He's not really tall, but he's physically present, physically strong and athletic so he can guard those bigger wings and, you know, I feel like the lineup has worked for us.”

So does Stotts – who also includes Nurkic in that picture.

“I think defensively, it's been solid,” said the Portland coach. “Frankly, it coincided with Nurk coming back, so I think it's difficult to separate all of that because we got Norman and Nurk back at the same time.

“So, they all play together. That has to be part of it as well. But I think we've been a slightly better offensive team. We were already a top five offensive team. But defensively, adding him and Nurk is kind of what tipped the scales.”