The Portland Trail Blazers were one of five teams that ranked among the bottom five in points per possession against pick-and-roll ball handlers and roll men in 2020-21. According to Jason Quick of The Athletic, the Blazers have made that a point of attack during training camp, starting with a reconsideration of their pick-and-roll coverages.
As has been the case since his hiring, Billups is preaching more aggressiveness defensively on ball screens, as opposed to the more conservative drop coverage they ran under the previous regime.
“Billups’ first plan of action is changing how the Blazers defend basketball’s most-used play: the pick-and-roll.