Heading into 2021-22, the Portland Trail Blazers had one of the NBA’s higher retention rates, with 76 percent of last year’s roster returning, particularly among the top half. Having the “run it back”mentality as a first-round out doesn’t generally yield positive results, but it did guarantee one thing: it meant Portland’s younger, unproven talent needed to reach a new level in their development.
Three games in, Nassir Little appears more than up to the challenge.
The partnership between Little and Chauncey Billups got off to an excellent start, with the first-year head coach referring to him as the “best athlete” on the team, a sentiment that would have meant nothing if left only to dunk montages in practice or Twitter highlight reels.