NBA Playoffs 2018-19: 3 Talking points from Portland Trail Blazers vs Denver Nuggets - Game 5

#2 Portland Trail Blazers are really inconsistent

Portland Trail Blazers need to help Lillard out

The Portland Trail Blazers have been one of the most solid teams this season, both in the regular season and the playoffs, having been led by the ever present Damian Lillard.

Lillard has been one of the point guards in the league since his rookie campaign and has only taken a step forward every year. This season too, despite an underwhelming season by CJ McCollum, he carried this Blazers team to the #3 seed in the Western Conference.

Even after losing Jusuf Nurkic to a gruesome injury, the Blazers could not be stopped and took down the Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 games in the first round. But the moment Lillard stops scoring, he has had no support from his bench, which has led to the Blazers going down in this series, 3-2.

CJ McCollum has been better in this series but has his ups and downs, so does Al-Farouq Aminu. Enes Kanter is a superb offensive player but offers next to nothing on defense. If Lillard is shut down, the whole team stops to function, with the exception being the Game 2 win against the Nuggets.

If the Blazers want to take this series to the tie breaker in Game 7, they need some great performances from their support cast as well.