CJ McCollum steals Saturday's episode of "The James Harden Show"
Portland also showed a little fight on defense amid the trade rumors
After a Christmas Day that most NBA fans would prefer to forget, Portland was the scene of the most intriguing story in the league and perhaps the best game of the first week of the season. It had a bit of everything, bringing the league’s hottest soap opera to Portland and making itself at home, wrapping up even some Blazers players in a drama that hasn’t been seen around these parts in quite some time. Perhaps ever.
James Harden, according to The Athletic, included the Blazers on his list of desired trade destinations and when anyone talks about a trade of Harden to Portland, CJ is always the unspoken implication. CJ spoke to this after the game as well, when asked about the Harden rumors after dropping 44 points in the early game of the year. It was the type of drama that has only come through the Rose Garden in years past but rarely involved them. This drama has only been enhanced by the relationship of Neil Olshey and James Harden, as well as Olshey standing and chatting with Rockets general manager Rafael Stone while watching Harden’s warm-up routine.
CJ claims not to have been motivated by any of this and it may be true, because McCollum is one of the league’s best big-game players. A big spot, with trade rumors involving him reaching a level we haven’t seen in a long time, McCollum ripped up the Rockets from the second quarter through the game’s conclusion, authored by CJ with 6.3 seconds left in overtime.
When asked about the Harden rumors after the game, Lillard, who ultimately has the power to have the Blazers pursue such a move for McCollum, whether he wants to use it or not, Lillard said he believes such rumors come from a place of truth but that he doesn’t see such a thing happening.
And as for the current Blazers, there were a few things that seemed like positives. Their defense was tighter in this game, but Houston’s ball movement, outside of Harden’s brilliant passes, was certainly not as crisp as what we saw from Utah. But a 17-point quarter is still a 17-point quarter, which is something the Blazers rarely came upon last season.
The Blazers also got a lot of late-game offense going for Dame and CJ through other players. It wasn’t simply standing and watch the two guards figure it out. Jusuf Nurkic was making the right passes from the top of the key and both Robert Covington and Derrick Jones Jr. proved to be threats as screeners enough to help loosen things up for everyone else.
Realistically, it feels like Portland isn’t trading for James Harden. As dramatic as it was to see Olshey and Stone, McCollum’s epic trade value performance, Harden rolling out of the club with the smell of liquor and cigarettes on him to drop 44 and 17 in one of the places he wants to be traded to, it all feels too good to be true.
What feels more realistic is that both teams move on and get to know each other. Judging by the moments both teams showed, it might be in the best interest of both teams to take things slow. But in a short season, with Olshey and Stone both watching their teams closely, the blockbuster making its way to Portland doesn’t seem so outlandish.