Portland Trail Blazers Navigate Early Season Shooting Struggles

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers have kicked off their 2025-2026 NBA season with high expectations for shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe. Despite a promising preseason, Sharpe’s performance over the first five games has left fans and analysts questioning his impact. He is averaging 17.0 points per game but has struggled with poor shooting percentages, hitting only 30.7% from the field and a lowly 16.7% from three-point range.

The Blazers, currently 2-2, are finding ways to score despite Sharpe’s inefficiencies. As a team, Portland has generated 120.5 points per night, relying on a collective offensive effort rather than individual heroics. Interim head coach Tiago Splitter has implemented a system focused on quick shots and overall team movement, contrasting with the previous regime’s approach.

Shooting percentages remain a concern, with the Blazers sitting 23rd in the NBA in field goal percentage at 44.9% and 17th in three-point shooting. However, their offensive strategy of taking a high number of shots—averaging 94.8 attempts per game—has led to a respectable points per game average. The key has been to generate extra shots, often at the expense of shooting efficiency.

“If you’ve got the lane, take it. If you’re open, shoot it,” is the mantra guiding the Blazers’ offense. Unfortunately for Sharpe, this philosophy has led him to take contested and quick shots, which has stunted his growth as a primary scorer. Critics argue he gets in the way of the offensive flow, leading to stagnant possessions when given the ball.

Still, there is hope for improvement. Sharpe is only 22 years old and has shown defensive growth this season, addressing one of the prior concerns about his overall game. If he can harness his athleticism and push towards the basket more often instead of settling for long jumpers, he could become a more effective scorer.

“He has the potential to be a top scorer,” said an analyst. “But he must adjust his game to what the system requires, especially now with injuries to other key players.”

The Blazers have also seen significant contributions from teammates like Jrue Holiday and Deni Avdija, helping share the offensive load. Despite Sharpe’s inefficiency, the team is optimistic as they seek to maintain a strong defensive identity alongside an evolving offense.

It’s early in the season, and the Blazers will need to find better synergy on offense to avoid putting too much pressure on Sharpe. If he can improve his shot selection and execution, Portland could transform its early-season struggles into robust offensive performance.