PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers are just three weeks away from the season tipping off at the Moda Center, and it'll be one where coaches and players are trying to figure out the team’s identity. Last season was a mixed bag; the Trail Blazers missed the playoffs but the team's defense was a bright spot.

“I believe if we’re going to be any good we need to be a defense-first team; I think the best thing that happened for me last year was we finally established that,” said head coach Chauncey Billups.

It’s a defense that has only gotten stronger over the offseason, now that veteran Jrue Holiday is joining the team after coming over from Boston in the Anfernee Simons trade.

“We’re excited what Jrue is going to do, and another thing we like about him was, getting a little more

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