Kobe's absence has had a greater impact on the Trail Blazers than expected.
On the offensive end, the Trail Blazers can make up for it; they don't lack offensive resources.
Gan Guoyang relies more on outside play, and Carl is also making efforts to develop Henderson, while Charles Barkley still has some fuel left in his offensive tank.
In addition to veterans like Dell Curry, Chris Mullin, and Brellock, squeezing out a little more contribution from each game is possible.
So without Kobe, the Trail Blazers' offense can still stand tall; as long as it revolves around Gan Guoyang, they remain top in the League.
However, the problems on defense are significant. Without Kobe, a big chunk of the Trail Blazers' perimeter defense has collapsed.
Losing to the Suns, the Trail Blazers exemplified a defensive breakdown, facing a barrage from Hill, Walker, and Hardaway's individual skills.
