The Portland Trail Blazers entered their preseason game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night with energy and enthusiasm. Golden State had the biggest names by far. Portland brought speed and intensity, as well as busy hands and feet. These attributes gave the Blazers plenty of opportunities to exploit their older, more measured foes. By gum, the Blazers took them.
Portland ended up losing 129-123 in its first exhibition outing. The final score was a bit disappointing. The Blazers held a 21-point lead going into the fourth. They played on their deep bench – not the main team’s reserves, but the Rip City Remix candidates – for the entire period. Golden State did the same. The Warriors ended up scoring 51 points in the final frame, completing a huge comeback to finish off their guests.
The result ultimately doesn’t mean much. It’s safe to say that if the Blazers want to win this year, games will need to look like this one through the first three quarters. In that sense it was a good start to the season… it’s great to see.
Here are specific observations from the game. When you’re done reading it – and if you’ve liked what the site has brought to you over the years – take a second to check out this article in The Feed for some interesting news.
The rumors coming out of training camp turned out to be 100% true, at least in this opening game. Shaedon Sharpe was ready to PLAY, torching the nets with a display of skills that we’ve seen hints of over the years, but never put together like this.
Two wrinkles appeared immediately. First, Sharpe was chasing all three. Don’t bail them out… choose them as the central point of your attack. Second, his driving and flat game was as strong as his finishing.
The Blazers desperately need three things in their offense:
- Someone to draw the defense so the opponent can’t keep a man at home against secondary scorers.
- Three-point shot to spread the floor.
- Someone to switch to those open shooters when the defense moves.
Sharpe did all three tonight. Yes, it’s pre-season, but this is the first time we’ve seen him demonstrate that he knows and appreciates this approach. This is very good news for Portland.
Shaedon had 20 points on 8-13 shooting, 4-7 from the arc at halftime, leading Portland to 73 points at intermission. He played sparingly in the second half, finishing the match with 22.
A quieter, but fascinating, subtext to this game was Portland’s center rotation.
Donovan Clingan began. He provided EXACTLY what you’d expect: guarding the lane and shooting troublesome shots on the edge of the defense, copious offensive rebounds on the other end. He looked good. But the Blazers didn’t stay with him or anyone at center for long.
Yang Hansen then received the call, about four minutes into the match. (He would also get some time in that disastrous fourth quarter.) The good news: Hansen seems quick to get up and down the field. He’s much more interested in Portland’s vertical rhythm than Clingan. The bad news is that recognizing it takes work. This isn’t a surprise, but it was still obvious. He got into Sharpe’s lanes, set screens late, knocked the ball down when defenders were right underneath him and tried to make slow passes that were easily intercepted. He played defense with gusto, but Golden State’s plays developed at a speed of 48 while Hansen was running at 33. The pace of the game is too high for him right now. It will take him some time to adapt and understand his position.
Hansen committed a foul 21 minutes into the game. The most damning statistic of his night was 4 rebounds during this period. For comparison, Deni Avdija had 8 in just over 19 minutes of play.
The Blazers also ran lineups with Duop Reath and others without a real center at all. These last combinations were certainly fast. The pressing and transition play were flashy features, delightful as a pop-up book in the hands of a six-year-old. Unfortunately, rim protection and rebound were virtually absent during these stretches. It didn’t hurt too badly against the older, slower, less committed Warriors, but in an actual game, the disadvantages of the centerless lineup will likely affect Portland as much as the advantages. This seems more like a selective strategy than a real solution.
Portland had no hesitation on its three-point shots tonight. It seemed like they were consciously setting up threes on the diagonals, trying to make Golden State’s slower defenders run. This contrasts with the high-end or sideline attack we are familiar with. (But they also got the corner three.)
Toumani Camara became a flamethrower by shooting 4 of 9 from distance. It’s a perfect role for him on offense. It also looks like a natural.
Outside of Sharpe destroying the Warriors in the halfcourt, the name of the game for Portland tonight was speed. The bench players entered the game early and often, keeping their legs fresh. Everyone from Hansen to Blake Wesley to Kris Murray looked to convert possessions into instant offense, running at full speed down the court. Not a tenth of a second of thought passed before the feet and the ball moved. Possession. Turn. Run like hell.
Last year, Avdija led the charge for the Blazers, often alone. At the start of the year, it’s Deni and the Speedsters who take the stage. Several players looked like mini-Denises. Stay tuned to see if they can keep this up.
Winning the revenue battle is an integral part of the speed strategy. The Blazers forced several TOs in the backcourt, thanks to effective pressing. The Warriors looked a little surprised. Portland ended up forcing a healthy 19. They committed 18, but they maintained a lead in that department until that fourth fatality.
Ultimately, a combination of youth, speed and turnovers allowed the Blazers to attempt 103 shots while Golden State managed just 89. That was a big part of Portland’s success.
It’s worth noting that the Warriors’ huge run in the final quarter coincided with a faster formation for them. Portland’s trap had less effect and the turnovers dried up. Once that advantage is gone, half the success is gone too. (To be fair, the other half disappeared because non-scorers filled the Portland floor. That weighed just as heavily.)
Not all the news was good. Some things require work and/or continued observation as the season unfolds.
On a team level, Portland’s defense was good as long as it kept a man firmly in front of the ball. Whenever help was needed, the Blazers weren’t able to get it out of the way. They sent out the first man, but had no ability to cover the three-point arc afterward. The Warriors opened up wide every time they got past the initial defender.
Speaking of which, Avdija looked a little passive on defense. He wasn’t horrible but he wasn’t top of mind either. Whatever he does or doesn’t do on the other end, the Blazers need Avdija as one of their two best defenders (along with Camara) in order to generate the intensity they need.
Jrue Holiday looked smart in his reads and compact in his moves, as you would expect. BUT…I’m going to be honest here and you won’t like this…he also looked about two inches behind on defensive plays and offensive finishes. The best way to describe it is that Holiday’s mind was ahead of the games, but his body seemed to be trying to catch up, with mixed success. Perhaps some of this is due to pre-season rust or storage. This is worth watching.
The news wasn’t much better for Jerami Grant. He played 21 minutes shooting 2-11 from the field and 1-5 from the three-point arc. On defense, it seemed he existed more than thrived. Those hoping for a renaissance for Grant will have to wait a little longer, it seems.
The Blazers will host the Sacramento Kings in their second preseason game Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Pacific.
