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Toumani Camara Is Becoming The Perfect Piece For The Trail Blazers
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- Toumani Camara Is Becoming The Perfect Piece For The Trail Blazers
(Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)
Toumani Camara has quickly established himself as one of the Portland Trail Blazers ' most important players, and his early-season shooting has added another dimension to his already valuable skill set.
Through the first seven games of the season, Camara has knocked down 24 three-pointers, an impressive number for a player whose offensive game was once considered a work in progress. His ability to consistently find the bottom of the net from beyond the arc has given Portland another legitimate floor spacer, making him an even more important piece alongside the team's talented backcourt.
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The Athletic's John Hollinger recently highlighted Camara's shooting surge, pointing out just how remarkable his development has been, "While the percentage will presumably drop off, the sheer mass of 3s makes him a spacing weapon for the Blazers' army of guards. It also continues an amazing transformation for a player who came from Belgium to the University of Georgia seven years ago as an undersized backup center. Camara never made more than 29 3s in any of his four college seasons; he's made 23 in his first six games this season."
Hollinger makes a fair point about the sustainability of Camara's current shooting numbers. Maintaining this kind of production over an entire season is a difficult task, and his percentage will likely come back down to earth. However, the volume alone is encouraging for a Portland team that needs as much offensive spacing as possible.
Camara has already established himself as one of the better defensive forwards in the league. His versatility, physicality and ability to take on difficult perimeter assignments make him a valuable player regardless of what happens offensively. When he is also knocking down three-pointers at a high rate, his overall impact becomes that much greater.
That is particularly important for a Blazers roster built around multiple ball-dominant guards. Having a forward who can defend at an elite level while also demanding attention from the perimeter creates more room for everyone else to operate. Defenses cannot simply leave Camara open and focus their attention on Portland's backcourt.
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The most encouraging part of this development is that Camara is still relatively early in his NBA career. He has already made significant strides as a shooter, and the confidence to keep taking those shots is a positive sign.
Portland does not need Camara to become an offensive superstar. His defensive contributions are already essential to what the team wants to accomplish. But if this shooting improvement is legitimate, the Blazers may have an even more complete two-way weapon than they initially realized.
