Dave from Blazers Edge actually has some good observations about some things Blazers are doing differently, both on O and D. I was certainly impressed with how they centered the offense around Nurkic in the first few minutes and set up Powell for a three on a curl around a pick. He also notices how many times in the game they again resort to iso play:
"Aggressive Start
The Blazers now have a definite style coming out of the gate. It’s typified by playing through Jusuf Nurkic in the center of the court, then feeding off of the inside-out action. As the Blazers are finding, starting a scoring play off of a collapsed defense is better than off of a set one.
The other hallmark of their early offense is serious aggression by Damian Lillard. For much of the last month, observers and opponents alike have been left guessing what Lillard will do with the ball in his hands. He’s been walking it, paced steadily, surveying options. In the last few games he’s been creating his own options, which is quite a different thing. Nurkic’s passing and Lillard’s scoring have become Scylla and Charybdis for Portland’s opponents.
Three Productive Guards
For the second straight game, Lillard, CJ McCollum, and Norman Powell all produced, and off of relatively few attempts. This can be directly related to the inside-out power and All-Star aggression mentioned above. With defenses turning towards the rim and Lillard, McCollum is left a ton of real estate to operate in. Once he gets hot, he’s not cooling down for anything less than a double-team. When defenses catch up to CJ, Powell is next, either hitting a three or driving it right back to the same rim where the initial threat started. Or, God forbid, the ball goes right back to Lillard and the Threepocalypse is nigh.
When the ball is moving and all three guards are hitting efficiently, the Blazers are playing BINGO with a card full of Free Spaces. It’s pretty easy to win that way.
More Screens
Don’t sleep on the ability (and willingness) of Nurkic, Enes Kanter, and sometimes Robert Covington to free up dribblers with picks. The Blazers weren’t as roll-ish tonight as they were against the
Brooklyn Nets on Friday, but they hit approximately a million quick-release jumpers off of screens, many of which came from distance. This is one of two aspects of the game they’ve clearly emphasized during their “renewal” road trip.
Here’s the other...
High and Low Defense
The Blazers were not great on defense tonight—Boston shot 48.3% overall, 51.3% from the arc—but they did up the intensity. It shows in two ways.
First, they started the game all the way live in the paint. They were willing to cede the Celtics deeper shots as long as attempts in the lane were doubled. They were spry getting back to the arc after swarming inside as well. This dimmed a little as the game wore on, but the initial intent was there. For Portland, that’s something. In particular, it kicks the crap out of no intensity being displayed anywhere.
The Blazers also extended their defense out to the halfcourt line. They’ve gotten away from waiting flat-footed at the arc to see what the opponent will do, then making the point moot by never getting off those flat feet. Instead they’re sending both guards to pick up assignments as soon as their men cross the time line, starting the defense in motion and forcing the dribbler to work instead of setting up confidently.
In the third period, Portland forced turnovers outside the arc with their extended “D”. But whether they got the steal or not, the effort helped their cohesion and attention. Sure, Boston hit shots anyway, but at least they were contested better.
Transition Ball
We should also underline that the Blazers made a concerted effort to get back on defense tonight. They have been embarrassed on multiple occasions over the last month in just this area. Tonight Boston found a minimum of two, often three, defenders when they ran the ball back.
Just as importantly, Portland gave as good as they got on the run. Powell’s nose for layups appears to have infected his backcourt mates. The Blazers don’t have to win games on the break, they just have to avoid losing them there. They did that tonight. Each team scored 16 points in transition.
Threes Everywhere
For all that we’ve just said, this game still devolved into a game of three-pointers. The Blazers hit 19-38 (50%), Boston 20-39 (51.3%). Literally everybody who could shoot them, did. Quick threes, bail-out threes, transition threes...these two teams crafted a Bubba Gump Shrimp menu beyond the arc. Whether that style appeals is a matter of taste, but the Blazers will happily engage in a distance shooting contest with anyone. It’s their bread and butter.
Free Throws
Portland’s overall aggression appeared to pay off at the foul line tonight. They’ve often complained about a lack of respect from the referees, but lo and behold, when the guards forget everything and start scoring hard, free throws follow. Portland shot 22-26 from the line. The Celtics earned only 15 free throws, hitting 13.
When It Falls Apart
This isn’t to say that everything went perfectly for Portland on the offensive end. For large stretches of the game you could predict whether the Blazers would score based on the number of passes that preceded the attempt. Zero passes often resulted in a miss. Two indicated a make.
AD
Portland still drifts into isolation offense against permissive defenses far too easily. We’re not talking Carmelo Anthony buying time for the second unit or the open McCollum “J” here. The Blazers just seem to hit stretches where they forget how they’re succeeding. Everybody wants to get their moves and shots in. That’s so Portland, but it’s still hard to watch when they’re rolling otherwise.
Nurkic at the Rim
Jusuf Nurkic had another fantastic night, with 14 points on 6-10 shooting, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists. He remains the biggest difference-maker on the team outside of Lillard himself. His Achilles Heel—which Boston didn’t take advantage of but playoffs teams will—is his inability to score inside versus coverage. He doesn’t have a decisive move and he doesn’t have a strong finish. Portland’s inside-out attack is going to falter if there’s no “inside” to be had. Enes Kanter is much stronger in this area. The difference between them is noticeable. If Nurk can get even a little bit of that Kanter footwork and touch, he’d be devastating."
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OFFICIAL HAWKS' GAME NOTES 
