New Orleans Pelicans: 3 takeaways from Game 2 vs. Blazers

3. Backcourt defense bothering Lillard and McCollum

The dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum struggled for the second straight game, combining for just 39 points on 16-of-39 shooting from the field.

How much of their struggles were internal vs. how much was a result of the Pelicans’ defense is something we’ll never fully know the answer to, but New Orleans’ backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo definitely played a part.

Holiday continues to make his case for a spot on the All-Defensive First Team, as he rotated defensively between the two over the course of the game and clearly made his presence felt, forcing the guards into tough, contested shots.

Rondo has seemed to rediscover how to play defense on a consistent basis, as he did an excellent job in spurts making things difficult for both Lillard and McCollum as well.

Everything the Blazers do on the offensive end runs through their two best players. Guys like Jusuf Nurkic and Al-Farouq Aminu don’t have the ability to create shots for themselves. They rely on their backcourt to break the defense down and create open looks for them.

If New Orleans continues to make the Blazers backcourt struggle, Portland won’t be able to generate enough offense to keep up with the suddenly elite offensive unit that is the Pelicans.

More so, if the Pelicans can’t seem to find the rhythm on a given night, their ability to defend at a high level will allow them to grind out games they should have no business being competitive in.