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.
Dalano Banton’s Fourth Quarter Magic
Dalano Banton only plays in the fourth quater. But he also rarely misses in the fourth quarter. The Trail Blazers may have stumbled into to something magical. Okay, maybe they stumbled into one-dude on an absolute heater. But that one dude has been on a absolute heater the past two games.
Banton’s Fourth Quarter Magic
Banton’s performance against the New Orleans Pelicans was a spectacle. After sitting out the first three quarters, he entered the game and immediately made his presence felt. Despite an initial turnover, he quickly found his rhythm, scoring 20 points on 8 of 9 shooting. The Blazers outscored the Pelicans 39-18 in the fourth quarter, turning a three-point deficit into a laugher thanks largely to Banton’s efforts.
This comes on the heels of the game on Saturday where he 12 points in the fourth quarter and keyed a rally from down 21 against Phoenix. His go-ahead three-pointer with under a minute left just rimmed out, narrowly missing a miraculous two game run in which didn’t see a single minute in the opening three-quarters.
Over the last two games, Banton has scored 32 points in just under 24 minutes, all in the fourth quarter. His efficiency is off the charts, shooting 13 of 16 from the floor. It’s a role that suits him perfectly—coming in as a scorer, not a distributor, and just going for it. The Blazers have been looking for someone who can create their own shot, and Banton has stunningly been the perfect solution.
In all seriousness, Banton’s success comes from being used in the right role. He’s not a traditional point guard, but when given the freedom to attack and score, he thrives. Playing alongside other guards like Scoot Henderson and Anfernee Simons allows him to focus on what he does best—getting buckets.
While it’s unlikely that this fourth-quarter-only trend will continue indefinitely, it’s been a thrilling ride so far. His performances have been a highlight, and it’s clear that when he’s on the court, anything can happen. As long as that anything is required after the first three quarters have been completed.
For more insights and a deeper dive into Dalano Banton’s impact, tune into the Locked On Blazers podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Blazers Podcast:
- Toumani Camara’s growth and potential to expand his game
- Anfernee Simons’ shooting struggles and improvements
- A lot of Dalano Banton talk
For all these stories and more, make Locked On Blazers your go-to source for everything Trail Blazers.
Here’s something I love: The Detroit Pistons with a win record of 3-5, better than the combined record of the Bucks and the Sixers. Given Detroit’s slow start to the season, and that lopsided match against the Knicks last Friday, I thought we were in for another season where the best the Pistons could hope for was besting their last season record of 14-68.
Yes, there could still be a slump; yes, the play-in still feels like an aspirational goal for this team, but neither of those outcomes takes away from the truth of the matter which is, the league is better when the Pistons are competitive.
This is a franchise with a proud, hard-fought history, a winning history, and one that’s been hard to see these last few seasons under the tarnish of poor decision making and ill-timed coaching fits. Going back to Cade Cunningham’s rookie season, coached by Dwane Casey, that team and the iterations that followed were too good to be as bad as they appeared. Casey — who transitioned into a front office role with the team last season —is a great coach, if a touch old fashioned. Admittedly, I miss being more proximal to him for the Casey-isms alone he’d offer, e.g. More than one way to skin a cat. A front office, mentorship-driven fit was always the goal of Casey even as head coach, given the rebuilding stage the team was in and how in two years its median age of players dipped to one of the youngest in the league.
Skip to last season, Monty Williams’ brief tenure and that dismal aforementioned season record, and rather than treat it as an unfortunate blip, the Pistons young talent took it as a lesson. Cade is in his fourth season and has lost more than any of his five draft contemporaries he was in the running for Rookie of the Year with. Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley, Jalen Green, Franz Wagner — these guys have certainly seen slumps, the nature of the Draft dictates likely being drafted to a struggling or rebuilding team, but they’ve also had their share of successes. Enough to keep them growing and developing. Cade has, in almost every way, had to take it upon himself to sift the lessons from the seasonal wreckage and keep his hope alive. That takes an incredible amount of discipline and fortitude.
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
Injury Portland Trail Blazers received a significant injury update on Robert Williams III, impacting game strategies against the Pelicans. (Sports Illustrated)
Analysis A shooting slump has forced a Blazers star to explore alternative contributions, affecting the team’s offensive dynamics. (Sports Illustrated)
Feel good The Pistons had to take the subway to their game in Brooklyn because of the NYC marathon (ESPN)
Analysis Will the NBA pinpoint its 3 point problem? (TSA, Substack)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Is It Truly A Zach Edey Fantasy Basketball Breakout?
Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) drives to the basket against Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) and forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) and guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center.|Photo by Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Monday’s NBA action was packed with thrilling games and standout performances, offering plenty of insights for fantasy basketball enthusiasts. Here’s a breakdown of some of the key matchups and player performances that could impact your fantasy strategy.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Bucks faced off against the Cavaliers in a closely contested game, with Cleveland edging out Milwaukee 116-114. Giannis Antetokounmpo was sidelined with an adductor issue, which opened the door for Bobby Portis to shine. Portis delivered an impressive 21 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks, showcasing his potential when given extended minutes. Damian Lillard also had a strong outing with 36 points and seven assists, while Brook Lopez contributed defensively with four steals and two blocks.
Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards
The Warriors secured a road victory against the Wizards, 125-112. Stephen Curry returned to action, scoring 24 points in limited minutes. Buddy Hield continued his hot streak with 20 points, but his current shooting efficiency may not be sustainable. For the Wizards, Jordan Poole put up 24 points, but his high block and steal numbers suggest a potential sell-high opportunity.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons pulled off a win against the Lakers, 115-103. LeBron James and Anthony Davis both had strong performances, with Davis scoring 37 points despite an ankle injury scare. Jaden Ivey impressed for Detroit, solidifying his status as a must-roster player with his improved play this season.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Blazers podcasts.
Nightmare 3rd Quarters Derail Trail Blazers in losses against OKC & Phoenix | Dalano Banton Though! The Trail Blazers had two brutal third quarters that derailed their losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns on Friday and Saturday. What went wrong?
Scoot Henderson Is Making Strides & 5 Others Things We’ve Learned from the Trail Blazers 1st 5 Games 5 Things we’ve learned about the Trail Blazers 5 games into the season
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.
