Toumani Camara’s Improved Offense Boosts Blazers’ Potential

Camara is not just a spot-up shooter nowadays. He can use his speed and athleticism to drive into the paint. Since he can finish with either hand, he can beat his defenders by catching them off guard.

When other players are rolling, defenses won’t pay attention to Camara. That’s when he is most dangerous, because he can drain open threes. At the same time, he loves moving off the ball for dunks. Camara works in any lineup because he brings his defense, but it comes with smart offense as well.

Portland Can Maximize Camara’s Role Further

When Portland is rolling, every rotation player feels confident. The Blazers scored 134 points against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, a feat headlined by Camara’s career outing. In addition to his efforts, five other Blazers scored in double figures.

The offense flowed well because everyone was shooting the shots they wanted. Donovan Clingan was inefficient on offense (3-10 FG), but he was still a beast on the boards. Clingan also blocked seven shots, keeping his focus on the defensive end.

Under those circumstances, it was the best time for Camara to have a great game. He went nuclear with his three-point shooting, but he was also aggressive across the board. That trait could help him fill an optimal role and further enhance the team’s potential.

Since Portland has Avdija, Sharpe, and Henderson, defenders will be focused on them. That makes players like Camara or Sidy Cissoko thrive because they are willing shooters. At the same time, they are athletic enough to attack the closeout and finish at the rim.

Splitter’s System Encourages Camara’s Improvements

Throughout the season, there has not been an established way of playing in Portland. Tiago Splitter’s system relies on individual talent, but he’s also found success with some of his After Time Out plays. Despite that, Splitter loves having a player like Camara because of his overall fit.

Camara is a fantastic defender, but he is also much more than that. Getting an offensive boost from him would be much better for the team. Having a lineup that features Avdija, Sharpe, Clingan, and Camara is already superb, since they are all decent defenders and get reliable scoring from Avdija and Sharpe. Adding the final piece between Henderson or Holiday is another plus, since they both have high ceilings as offensive players.

When Camara is firing on all cylinders, that could truly unlock the Trail Blazers’ potential.