The Portland Trail Blazers are better post-NBA trade deadline

The Portland Trail Blazers were the joke of the trade deadline. They shipped off CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, Robert Covington, and even Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who they acquired in exchange for McCollum.

On top of that, Damian Lillard is expected to miss the rest of the season. So based on the moves made at the deadline, it was clear that the Blazers’ plan was to tank for the rest of the season and open up some cap space for the summer.

But what if that doesn’t happen?

The Portland Trail Blazers are better post-NBA trade deadline

Since they traded away most of their core players, the Portland Trail Blazers are 3-0, and they’ve faced off against some quality talent, too.

They took down two struggling teams in the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. Plus, they absolutely slaughtered the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks.

However, regardless of struggles and an injury to Antetokounpmo, any NBA fan would have considered the rebuilding Trail Blazers underdogs in all three of those games. But they won all three.

And funnily enough, the reasons for Portland’s success are staring everyone right in the face – they aren’t playing with two ball-dominant superstars anymore.

Now, this isn’t a knock on Lillard and McCollum. Both are phenomenal players who put their heart and soul into the franchise, but this brand of Blazers basketball is different from how they played when those two were on the court.

Portland doesn’t have a go-to option, so they are moving the rock more than ever. Over their last three games, the Blazers are averaging 28.3 assists per game – fifth-most in the league over that span.

And what’s even more impressive has been their defense. In the last three games, Portland has posted a defensive rating of 104.0 – sixth-best in the NBA in that span.

So what is it about this new-look Blazers squad that’s so great?