Portland Trail Blazers must make crucial Tiago Splitter decision after shocking OKC Thunder win

Tiago Splitter has transformed the Portland Trail Blazers

Tiago Splitter took over for Chauncey Billups after the Portland Trail Blazers’ opening night loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Since then, the Trail Blazers have been on a roll.

Under Splitter, the Trail Blazers are 5-2, and have defeated several strong teams – including the LA Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, and OKC Thunder.

On top of that, he has massively impacted their defense, as the Trail Blazers currently rank 10th among the best defenses in the NBA.

His impact on young players has been crucial, with Deni Avdija putting up All-Star numbers, averaging 25.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists since Splitter took over.

The Trail Blazers also rank 10th (tied with the Miami Heat) in three-pointers made by an NBA team this season.

In just seven games in charge, Splitter has this Portland Trail Blazers squad looking more competitive than they ever did under Chauncey Billups.

Portland Trail Blazers could be a serious playoff team this season

It is still early days right now, but the Portland Trail Blazers look like a legitimate playoff side at this point in time.

They currently sit sixth in the Western Conference behind the San Antonio Spurs. And should their good run of form continue, they could climb the ranks even further.

The form of Deni Avdija, combined with the veteran presence of Jrue Holiday, has allowed the Trail Blazers to stifle opponents, no matter their offensive prowess.

If the Trail Blazers want to keep spirits high, they should sign Tiago Splitter to a full-time head coach contract as soon as possible.