Mike Richman here, the host of the daily Locked On Blazers podcast, with your daily Locked On Blazers newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Blazers and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Scoot Henderson Is Making Stides in Year 2
Oct 25, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) shoots under pressure from New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) during the second half at Moda Center. |Soobum Im/Soobum Im-Imagn Images
The Trail Blazers are 2-3 after five games and while it’s still too early to make sweeping proclamations about this team (Wait... is it!?) there are undoubtedly a few notable developments from the opening five games of the season.
One of the standout stories is Scoot Henderson’s noticeable improvement. In his second year, Henderson is showing real progress, especially when compared to his (mildly troubling) rookie season. While his shooting percentages might not be stellar, the real story is in his feel for the game has taken obvious strides. He’s more in control, understanding when to change speeds, and using his athleticism more effectively. This isn’t just about slowing down; it’s about knowing when to accelerate and how to navigate the court with better footwork. Henderson’s growth is evident, and he’s becoming a more functional player, which is promising for the Blazers’ future. Five games into we’ve learned that Scoot is making strides.
Another key takeaway from these early games is that Blazers can field a variety of competent defensive lineups. Unlike previous seasons, the team isn’t trotting out lineups that are easily exploited on defense. The rotation, starting with Henderson coming off the bench, has been structured to put size and plus defenders. Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija have been instrumental in this transformation.
The Blazers’ defense is further bolstered by the presence of Donovan Clingan, who has shown he can be impactful off the bench in a limited role. While his offense is still developing, his defensive impact is undeniable. Clingan’s ability to alter shots and deter drives has been a significant asset, helping the Blazers maintain solid defensive lineups even when with the bench units in the game.
For more insights and a deeper dive into things we’ve learned from the Trail Blazers first five games this season, tune into today’s Locked On Blazers podcast.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Blazers Podcast:
As someone who just celebrated a birthday — a milestone birthday — I’ll admit that aging has been on my mind. Its privileges, its gifts, its expectations and assumptions (especially for women), aging can feel overwhelming, particularly wrought, even if you’ve made relative peace through the years with it.
Much of my writing is concerned with the nuances around basketball and its athletes, particularly the elements that underscore them as people. Strange to call “humanity” a nuance, but that can be the flattening of pro sports. Athletes aging is something larger fandom is pretty bad at processing, to the point where, in the NBA, anyone over 28 is considered long in the tooth and anyone over 35, ancient. The churn of the Draft, with its college phenoms and untapped prospects, makes it so we have a continually replenishing assembly line of young athletes ready to oust the old, often in a way that we don’t actually witness. Very few NBA athletes announce their retirements or make their exits from the league public, they just sort of… vanish, and with them goes our public consciousness of them.
In his postgame presser on Wednesday night, after the Warriors had beat the Pelicans for the second time on a two day back-to-back, Draymond Green touched on aging. Well, not explicitly, but his lengthy answer when asked about his impactful defensive efforts throughout Golden State’s first five contests was telling. Namely, because he brought up two of the youngest centers in the league, Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis The Blazers need to make a trade. That’s according to Rip City Project, which says Scoot Henderson needs to stay in the starting lineup, but that means someone has to go.
Odds It’s going to be a tall task tonight for Portland, as they take on Oklahoma City. The Blazers are 11.5-point underdogs. (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Must Watch Every NBA player knows about The Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City. Pablo Torre needed to know more, so he sent two reporters out to stay at what’s dubbed OKC’s “most haunted hotel.”
Feel Good They’re all kids at heart. Check out how players from around the league celebrated Halloween. (ESPN)
Must Read Pure talent, or being good in the room? Inc. looks at how certain personality types are affecting roster decisions in the league.
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Paolo Banchero Injured - The Fantasy Basketball Fallout
Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) defends Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the second half at United Center.|Photo by David Banks-Imagn Images
As we dive into the latest NBA action, the fantasy landscape is ever-changing, with injuries and unexpected performances shaping our strategies. The recent news of Paolo Banchero’s injury is a significant blow for both the Orlando Magic and fantasy managers. Banchero is set to miss four to six weeks due to a torn abdominal muscle, which means a reevaluation around mid-December. This absence leaves a gaping hole in the Magic’s lineup, and the question remains: who will step up?
Orlando Magic’s Lineup Dilemma
The obvious choice might be Jonathan Isaac, but his limited minutes due to health concerns make this uncertain. Isaac’s potential is undeniable, yet his ability to sustain a starting role is questionable. Mo Wagner has been suggested as a possible fill-in, but his experience at power forward is limited. The Magic might opt for a more unconventional approach, possibly pushing Franz Wagner to the four and utilizing a three-guard lineup with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jalen Suggs, and Anthony Black. Black, although not a high scorer, could contribute across various categories, making him a viable fantasy consideration.
The situation is fluid, and while Wendell Carter Jr. should be a priority add if available, the rest of the lineup remains a puzzle. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on the Magic’s rotations in the coming games to identify any emerging trends.
Click the button below to see who should be on your waiver radar, plus the fantasy impact of Desmond Bane’s injury for Memphis.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Blazers podcasts.
Trail Blazers Outlast Los Angeles Clippers for their Best Win of the Season The Trail Blazers got a complete team victory over the Los Angeles Clippers with solid cameos across the roster.
The Young Portland Trail Blazers are Missing Veteran Leadership A deep dive into the young Trail Blazers the value of veteran leadership and a trend across the league of rosters getting younger.
Trail Blazers Lose to Kings + How Portland Can Maximize Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija So, yeah a bad loss. Let’s talk about Scoot Henderson (who looked okay) and Deni Avdija (who has not looked great yet)
