The Trail Blazers are having a rough season, there’s no denying that. New personnel that have been asked to do a lot more than expected, and a lack of wing defenders and bench production. Also first and second year players who are playing major rotation roles that weren’t expected to play much of a role.
The Blazers poor record can’t be blamed on injuries alone. A lack of defensive personnel on what was already an undersized team means that they rank so poorly defensively, while struggling to rebound also.
After last season when Meyers Leonard and Maurice Harkless were traded for Hassan Whiteside, the teams defensive identity lay primarily with Zach Collins and to a lesser extent Whiteside and Kent Bazemore.