Entering into the 2021-22 NBA Season, the Portland Trail Blazers promised better defense under new Head Coach Chauncey Billups. 23 games into the campaign, they have yet to deliver. As of December 4th, the Blazers rank 30th in defensive efficiency, 29th in opponent shooting percentage, and 28th in opponent three-point percentage. Those rankings are actually lower than the 29th , 25th, and 21st positions that got Head Coach Terry Stotts fired at the end of 2020-21.
This week Kevin Ringer of The Ringer submitted a video chronicling Portland’s abysmal performance so far, running down the myriad ways in which the Blazers’ defense is falling short as part of his series The Void.