PORTLAND – In a 10-second span after Friday’s practice, Anthony Davis managed to cover numerous critical areas that the sixth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans will focus on in their first-round Western Conference series against the No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers.
“Their guards are a handful – they can score at will,” Davis said of Portland’s explosive backcourt pairing of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. “They’re a good defensive team, but we have to make sure to come out and not turn the ball over, and make sure we rebound the ball defensively, and play defense.”
Based on Davis’ concise comments about what shapes up to be one of the most compelling series in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs, here’s a closer look at some of the things to watch when New Orleans faces Portland in the nightcap of an ABC/ESPN quadrupleheader Saturday:
Portland’s dynamic duo
Lillard had been a nightmare for New Orleans’ defense in previous seasons, frequently coming through in the clutch – or as the locals call it, “Dame Time” – but he uncharacteristically struggled in 2017-18, shooting just 25.