Portland Trail Blazers: 3 takeaways from 2018-19 season opener

2. They successfully spaced the floor

During the offseason, the Blazers constantly touted how their new acquisitions — four guards via draft and free agency — would help them space the floor more than the 2017-18 edition of the franchise.

Last year, they fell out of the top 10 in 3-point attempts per game for the first time since 2010-11. They also finished last in assists per game, completing a slow, annual fall from ninth place in 2013-14.

Things are off on the right foot in 2018-19. For one, Portland put up 37 3-point attempts. That would have been their sixth-highest output in a game last season. Instead, it felt like an extension of what this team was already doing. Counting the preseason, this is the fifth time in six games that they have put up 30 or more 3s.

Rip City also dished out 21 assists on 44 made field goals. That was just above their 2017-18 average of 19.5 assists on 39.2 made field goals per game. Again, counting the preseason, this was actually the fewest assists they’ve given out so far this year. That’s a good sign of their growth as a team that’s willing to move the ball.

There will still be plenty of ball-stopping isolation possessions from Lillard and McCollum and moments of reluctance beyond the arc from the role players along the way. However, as long as they stay focused on the mission of moving the ball more and spacing the floor, the Trail Blazers could be a tough team to face on a nightly basis.