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Portland Trail Blazers: 2017-18 player grades for Jusuf Nurkic

By Ty Delbridge

NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 27: Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on March 27, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 27: Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on March 27, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

The Portland Trail Blazers’ season is over after losing to the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the playoffs. Now that the season is wrapped up for the Blazers, let’s take a look at Jusuf Nurkic and how he did this year.

Jusuf Nurkic just finished his first entire season with the Portland Trail Blazers in his fourth NBA season. The Blazers acquired Nurkic last season at the trade deadline and paired him next to Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to create a Big 3 of their own.

In his fourth season in the league, Nurkic averaged 14.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 blocks in 26.4 minutes per game while shooting 50.5 percent from the field. Nurkic was 0-for-7 from the 3-point line this season. He played in a career-high 79 games this season and started every game.

Last season in the playoffs, Nurkic played one game and was playing on a very hurt leg. This season would be the first time in his career that he would come into the playoffs fully healthy. In the four games against the Pelicans, Nurkic averaged 11.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 assists in 23.4 minutes per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the field.

After coming to the Blazers midseason last year and dominating the 20 games he played in, Nurkic went into this season looking to prove he could be the guy to help take this Blazers team to the next level.

The fans, organization, and Nurkic himself had high expectations this year. Though he didn’t quite have the monster year everyone hoped for, he is still just 23 years old and is developing his game. He has shown he can take over a game and has the skill to be a top center in the NBA. Here’s a look at his first full season in Rip City.

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