Portland Trail Blazers: 3 takeaways from their 3-game losing streak

Issues on offense

Heading into their Thursday matchup against the Bucks, Portland already had a sluggish offense. They shot 44.0 percent from the field, fifth-worst in the league. However, they were saved by going 38.1 percent from 3-point range, seventh-best in the NBA.

Things have gotten worse over the past three games. The Blazers have shot 42.9 percent from the field over this span, retaining their No. 26 position in the rankings. But they’re now shooting 34.1 percent from beyond the arc, 22nd in the league.

Specifically, C.J. McCollum is enduring a 3-point drought. He’s shot 3-for-15 from outside over the last three games, only making one in each. Long range shooting is a fickle game, and even the best shooters have cold streaks. However, that cold streak has taken a lot of punch out of the Blazers’ offense.

The Blazers also struggle offensively against teams that feature defenders with long wingspans and active hands. Portland only mustered 91 points and surrendered 19 turnovers to the Bucks. They scored 92 points and conceded 18 turnovers against the Wizards.

Their issues against long teams is a very unsettling reality for the Blazers, as there are plenty more of those teams left to face on the schedule.