Blazers Got a Blessing in Disguise

It’s been a rough month for sports lovers around the globe, including those of us that are fans of the United States NBA. Many major sports associations have suspended or canceled their seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is unknown how long these breaks will last. As a Portland Trail Blazer fan, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this season suspension; however, this team had been struggling all season long with a grueling list of injuries and unbalanced team chemistry as a result. While doing my best to be optimistic, I realized that this hiatus could truly be a blessing in disguise for the Blazers.

Although it is unknown how long this NBA break will last, I believe it’s safe to say that it could be a benefit to many teams -- especially those that had been struggling throughout the season. Let’s take a look at some benefits this could provide for the Blazers.

1. With Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins ready to get back on the court, this hiatus gives them both extra time to perfect their playing skills. It has been just over a year since Nurkic injured his left leg with a compound fracture, and he was expected to return on March 15th -- days after the NBA announced their decision to suspend the season. For Collins, it has been five months since his left shoulder dislocation. He was on track to return mid to late March, and was very vocal about this on his social media platforms.

While individuals around the globe are doing their best to remain safe and healthy, Nurkic and Collins are doing just that, while also honing in on their skills as players and learning how to be part of their team on the court again. This extra time is a great benefit to get these guys back into the swing of things.

2. As mentioned before, the Blazers have been torn apart with several injuries, some minor, some season-ending heartbreaks. Of course we’re aware of the Nurkic and Collins injuries. Let’s not forget about Rodney Hood’s season-ending Achilles rupture, CJ McCollum’s multiple ankle sprains, Damian Lillard’s groin injury, and Anfernee Simons’ concussion followed by a sprained ankle. That’s only a handful of the injuries this team has suffered from this season.

With this extended break, each player, injured or not, has time to heal and get themselves healthy. Because of these injuries, many of the starters were required to pick up some of the slack, as well as bench players that had barely had time to adjust to life as an NBA star. For the starters, they are getting the chance to rest up and build the strength again. For the bench players, they’re learning more about their own skills and building chemistry with teammates.

3. One thing many of us are probably thinking about is that playbook. Coach Terry Stotts is most definitely coming up with new plays and ways to build his team back up from their difficult season. This suspension is giving him time to create these plays and his team the time to execute and perfect them. We can all hope that the Blazers come out refreshed and ready to play some great basketball when the time comes.

Although it’s hard to know for sure how well Nurkic and Collins will be able to blend into the new chemistry that formed throughout the season while they were stuck on the bench, it’s important to continue giving them the same support we did during their injuries. Not to mention, the team’s chemistry was broken multiple times with multiple injuries, and at this point, the Blazers know how to adapt and adjust their chemistry to fit the team as a whole.

Let’s face it, as true fans, we will continue to support our Portland Trail Blazers no matter what happens after this NBA hiatus. Win or lose, those are our guys, and we will always be RIP City. LET’S GO, PORTLAND!