Ja Morant’s Absence Could Hinder Offensive Production for Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Utah Jazz by 22 points Saturday. They also recorded just 16 assists — nearly half the 30.7 they averaged during their 3-0 start. It also looked solid in their win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday. 

Two things can be true. Portland can be perfectly capable of winning without Ja Morant while still having an offensive problem to solve.

And focusing on Saturday's 112-90 victory, it offered an early glimpse of just how different that offense might look.

Through their first three victories, the Blazers scored 124, 128 and 136 points, respectively, recording 32, 30 and 30 assists. Between 65% and 71% of their made field goals were assisted during that stretch.

Against Utah? Just 51.6%.

According to Basketball-Reference's shot chart, only 16 of Portland's 31 made field goals came off assists.

The Blazers also attempted 44 of their 76 shots from beyond the arc, with three-pointers accounting for nearly 58% of their field-goal attempts.

Portland made 16 of them, converting 36.4% from deep. But its interior production told another story.

After scoring at least 50 points in the paint in each of their first three victories, the Blazers managed just 26 against Utah, along with six fast-break points.

Different opponents, defensive schemes and game circumstances undoubtedly play a role. One game without Morant isn't enough to establish a definitive offensive trend.

Still, the contrast is difficult to ignore.

According to DeepMetric Analytics, Portland has posted a 136.6 offensive rating with Morant on the floor through five games. The Blazers have also outscored opponents by 16.1 points per 100 possessions during his minutes, compared to 5.4 without him.

Those figures come from a small sample and reflect the teammates and opponents sharing the floor. They aren't proof of Morant's individual impact, but they provide some context for Portland's early offensive success.

Saturday presented a much different formula.

The Blazers attempted 41 free throws, converting 34. Combined with their 16 three-pointers, 82 of Portland's 112 points came from beyond the arc or at the free-throw line.

Deni Avdija finished with 24 points, including 10 from the stripe. Damian Lillard added 22, while Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara and Jrue Holiday each contributed 14.

Portland found plenty of scoring contributions throughout the roster. But it also benefited from a Utah team that shot just 37.2% from the field, committed 19 turnovers and lost the rebounding battle 48-37.

The Blazers weren't forced to manufacture offense in a tight fourth quarter. Their defense had already done much of the heavy lifting.

Henderson, meanwhile, received his first start of the season in Morant's place. He finished with 14 points in 31 minutes, but recorded just one assist against four turnovers.

It's an opportunity for Henderson to establish himself in a larger role ... although Saturday demonstrated how much work remains in making Portland's offense function consistently without its most explosive downhill creator.

And with Morant scheduled, head coach Micah Nori won't have the luxury of waiting for his return.

The good news? Portland still scored 112 points, knocked down 16 three-pointers and won by 22. There are plenty of positives to take away from that performance.

But 41 free-throw attempts aren't going to be there every night. Nor can the Blazers count on holding opponents to 90 points while generating fewer easy opportunities offensively.

Portland has already shown it can win without him. But against Utah, the Blazers needed just 16 assists and 26 points in the paint to cruise to victory.

The next four weeks will reveal whether those numbers were simply a one-night anomaly or an early indication of a much bigger adjustment.

Because winning without Morant is one thing. Maintaining the offensive identity Portland built with him is another.