Portland Trail Blazers: 3 takeaways from Game 2 beatdown vs. Thunder

2. It was center-by-committee in Game 2, and it worked

Enes Kanter was a major part of Portland’s Game 1 win, scoring 20 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. While he has reached this benchmark seven times in the past, he is only the third Blazer to do it during the playoffs.

Game 2, however, was a different story. He picked up three of his four personal fouls in the first half, neutralizing his effectiveness. Kanter ended the game with an understated six points and five rebounds. For the Blazers to win, they would need more production than that from the pivot. Enter Zach Collins and Meyers Leonard.

Collins had six points on 3-of-5 shooting (all in the first half), four rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 14 minutes of play. Leonard, meanwhile, made a huge impact as the Blazers took over in the second half. He may have only had five points and four rebounds while committing four fouls, but his presence as a big body and a defensive pest helped him earn a +17 plus/minus in his 15 minutes on the floor.

Oklahoma City will likely continue to go at Kanter as the series wears on. Despite his best efforts, he struggles defending the pick-and-roll, constantly plays too deep against drivers and doesn’t contest shots on a consistent basis. If Leonard and Collins can step in and fill that void when needed, the Blazers should be able to maintain control of the series despite missing Jusuf Nurkic.