Portland Trail Blazers: 3 season goals for Jusuf Nurkic in 2020-21
2. Average a double-double again
Ever since coming over to the Portland Trail Blazers via trade in the middle of the 2016-17 season, Nurkic has always averaged double figures in points. His 15.1 points per game scoring average for the club is a testament to that.
He has also averaged 9.7 rebounds per game since coming to the franchise. He only averaged 9.0 rebounds per game in his first full season for the Blazers. This is an aberration which should be the only time that he averages less than 10.0 per game while playing for the team.
With Whiteside no longer part of the Blazers franchise, there are plenty of rebounds to be collected. Nurkic will take up a large number of these. However, the perimeter shooting strength of the Blazers will play into Nurkic’s strength.
Jusuf Nurkic
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 15, 2020
22 PTS
21 REB
6 AST
2 3PT
2 BLK
2 STL
He was notified this morning that his grandmother passed away from COVID-19.pic.twitter.com/phUZNnTfym
In his entire career, Nurkic has not averaged under 2.0 offensive rebounds per game. In fact, Nurkic has averaged 2.9 offensive rebounds for his time with the Blazers. Given this number, Nurkic should easily average the 10.0 rebounds required to get the double-double.
On the defensive rebounding end, he is also very adept at getting the ball to the right guy to start a fast transition offense. It could be a lot of fun this year watching half-court passes from Nurkic to various players for highlight-reel plays almost every game.