The Golden State Warriors chart it. The Toronto Raptors overhauled their playbook last summer to feature it. And the Philadelphia 76ers celebrate it.

“The pass is king,” said Sixers Coach Brett Brown, whose team threw more passes this season than anybody else in the N.B.A. “It’s a thing that holds a locker room together. It’s a thing that holds an offense together.”

Which brings us to the sad state of affairs in Portland, where the Trail Blazers are in serious trouble against the New Orleans Pelicans, who have a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series. The Blazers had hoped that this would be the year they emerged and did real damage in the postseason after four straight early-round exits — and perhaps they still can.

But their one-on-one style of play isn’t helping.

Just two teams threw fewer passes than the Blazers did during the regular season, and no team had fewer assists. Their stagnant sets largely escaped criticism, camouflaged by the team’s 49-33 record, third-best in the Western Conference.