The Trail Blazers lost in Indianapolis on Wednesday night, falling 121-114 to the Indiana Pacers. Despite the outomce, this ranked pretty high on the Things To Be Happy About During a Loss Scale. A scale I just made up and will likely never mention again but still.
Anfernee Simons went nuts in the third quarter (16 of his 30 points on 5-7 shooting), Deandre Ayton returned to the lineup and looked competent for a team desperate for some stability at center.
And Scoot Henderson, after missing three and a half games, played one of his best games as a pro. Maybe even his best? He was great.
He demonstrated improved pace and decision-making, finishing with 17 points, nine assists, and just one turnover. His ability to control the tempo and make smart plays was a huge step in the right direction. So much of Scoot’s game has been at one speed: Fast As Heck. He’d mash the turbo button and hope for the best.
Agaisnt Indiana he maintained his aggressive, but played a varying speeds and set up his teammates with controlled and considered passes. Scoot has so many physical gifts but his decision making, and lack there of, holds him back at times. Wednesday he was a more mature version of himself. If there is more of that on the horizon for Scoot, it’s excellent sign for the Blazers’ young point guard.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Blazers’ performance, tune into the Locked On Blazers podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Blazers Podcast:
- The impact of Simons’ scoring on the Blazers’ offense
- Deandre Ayton’s role and skillset
- Crunch time offense for both teams
