The Portland Trail Blazers are off to an up-and-down 8-8 start to the regular season, but reserve center Cody Zeller has been a consistent bright spot for the team.
His stats are modest: 5.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 13.3 minutes per game. Yet, his impact is felt beyond the box score. In just a handful of games, the offseason acquisition has endeared himself to the hearts of Rip City faithful through his hustle and physicality.
Let’s analyze what makes Zeller valuable — and likable — in Portland, but also why he’s a much better fit than the man he replaced.