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Toumani Camara · Of the hundreds of ways to determine whether or not you’ve got a game-changing defender with some “dog” in him, the Portland Trail Blazers uncovered perhaps the funniest of them all: when the play-by-play commentators decide to start barking mid-broadcast. Entirely deserving of a “woof” or go, given his hounding defense against the Atlanta Hawks, Camara settles into his stance, in preparation of mirroring Trae Young step-for-step for the umpteenth time. Arguably in the nightmares of Atlanta’s shot creators by game’s end, Camara completes a pickpocket before diving to the floor, setting up his already-running teammate for a two-handed fastbreak jam. For avid Blazers observers, it was the type of two-way spectacle that Portland’s second-year swingman completes on any day ending in “y.” Fueling the win, Camara’s box score and tracking numbers told noteworthy stories, as he tallied a three-point, four-rebound, five-assist, four-steal tally, held Young to a two-of-eight, four-turnover finish in 47 possessions, and of course, drew a charge on November 17, 2024. · State of Mint