Portland Trail Blazers: 3 role players with the most to prove in second half

(Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
(Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
(Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)

The Portland Trail Blazers have a challenging schedule ahead of them. Which role players need to set themselves apart to push the team to the next level?

The Portland Trail Blazers‘ return to action is right around the corner. Their first game of the 2017-18 season’s second half is Friday, Feb. 23, against the Utah Jazz.

The Blazers have a fairly daunting schedule ahead of them. Sixteen of their final 24 games are against opponents with records at or above .500. They also have a game against the 28-29 Detroit Pistons. That team is more formidable than their record leads on following the acquisition of five-time All-Star Blake Griffin.

Portland is currently 32-26 on the season, tied for sixth in the Western Conference with the Denver Nuggets. However, they hold the seventh seed due to a tiebreaker. It will take a team effort to improve their seeding in such a competitive field. Of course, the Big Three of Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic will lead the charge. However, they can’t do it alone. That’s where the role players come in.

Certain role players have more on the line than others. Some players are gunning for sizable paydays this summer, while others could simply play their way into a bigger role. Who are three role players that really have something to prove in the second half of the season?