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.
Shaedon Sharpe Showed Up Ready To Go
Nov 7, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (17) dunks in front of San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. |Daniel Dunn/Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
The Portland Trail Blazers lost to the San Antonio Spurs, 118-105, on Thursday night. But wins and losses are for chumps and dweebs (or, you know, competitive teams. Same thing). Let’s talk about Shaedon Sharpe instead.
Sharpe made his season debut, and let me tell you, he looked fantastic. Despite missing the first eight games of season due to shoulder injury, Sharpe showed no signs of rust. He was smooth and confident, scoring 13 points on 6 of 9 shooting.
His ability to score in various ways—whether it was mid-range jumpers, attacking the rim, or hitting from beyond the arc—was impressive. Sharpe even made one of the best passes we’ve probably ever seen from him, a no-look dime to Toumani Camara in the fourth quarter. The Blazers roster is crowded with young players deserving of opportunity but those questions can be solved further down the roster.
We saw 20:11 of Sharpe on night one. That’s enough for me. Put him in the starting lineup and leave him there. He’s the player with the highest upside on the roster and after one game he showed nothing that would make you change your mind and plenty to ramp up your excitement. One game off the bench was enough. We’ve seen enough. Shaedon Sharpe is a starter. Question answers. Let’s move on to the more challenging queries this team is sure to pose.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Blazers Podcast:
- DeAndre Ayton’s performance in San Antonio
- A quietly strong game from Deni Avdija
- The challenges of managing the Blazers’ rotation
The Nuggets did it (Nikola Jokic did it), the Warriors did it (the death lineup and defensive efficiency), the Celtics did it (switching one through five, pre-switching, neutralizing open lanes), and now the Thunder are doing it.
It’s been described as pestering, smothering, swarming, but I‘d like to put “car wash” into consideration. That’s the set up awaiting opponents. The car (the opposing team) gets locked into those self-driving tracks and the gauntlet begins. Lu Dort and Alex Caruso appear as those cylindrical spinning brushes, stripping the ball outright and early or else funnelling players into the next wave of guards. Pressure continues from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jaylen Williams but it becomes more targeted, thinking of the jet streams of water now being directed at the car from every angle — and those spinning whirlwinds of Caruso and Dort haven’t relented.
If, somehow, an opposing player finds a sliver of daylight in the so-small-its-micro-ball switching scheme the Thunder are playing, if they manage to get out from the many hands reaching in, pressuring, forcing turnovers, then they will meet Chet Holmgren at the rim. Holmgren is like those long, slapping shammy tentacles that come down on the hood, sides and roof of the car from every angle, though his reach and hands are much more expertly deployed. The Thunder have a defensive rating of 96.5 (for context the Warriors, at second best, seem light-years behind with a respectable 103.8) and lead the league in steals (13.4) and blocks (7.3). The cars are coming out spotless, utterly worked.
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
Fans Portland Trail Blazers fans eagerly celebrated Shaedon Sharpe’s much-anticipated season debut, despite the team’s loss to the Spurs. (Oregon Live)
Replay A detailed box score of the Trail Blazers’ game against the Spurs revealed surprising statistics. (Blazer’s Edge)
Watch Defense wins games? Here’s an insightful breakdown of OKC’s defensive schemes. (Thinking Basketball)
Must Read The Influence of Sedona Price: Take a fascinating look at the domino effect of NIL on college athletics, women’s sports, social media and athlete health. (The New Yorker)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Basketball Impact of Miles Bridges’ Injury
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) holds his knee after a collision at the basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Spectrum Center.|Photo by Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
With only three games on Thursday, there was ample time to delve into the latest injury news and its implications for fantasy managers.
Injury Updates and Their Impact
Miles Bridges’ knee injury is a significant concern. After initially returning to play, he’s now sidelined for at least two weeks with a knee bone bruise. This situation opens up opportunities for other players. With Nick Richards and Mark Williams also out, Taj Gibson steps in as the starting centre. Grant Williams, who has been getting centre minutes, will likely shift to playing more at the four, alongside Tidjane Salaun. This reshuffling could push Williams into a more prominent role, making him a potential pick-up in 12-team leagues.
The absence of Bridges also means increased usage for Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball. Tre Mann is another player to watch; holding onto him could be beneficial as the team adjusts to these injuries.
Ja Morant’s hamstring injury is another blow, with expectations of a two-week absence. Memphis’ injury reporting is notoriously vague, so fantasy managers should prepare for an extended period without Morant. Tyrese Maxey’s situation is similar, with the Sixers indicating a reevaluation in a week, but realistically, it could be longer. Kyle Lowry is a suitable replacement in the meantime.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Blazers podcasts.
5 Game Road Trip Will Test the Trail Blazers + Rip City Remix Season Preview The road swing stats in OKC on Wednesday. Plus, a look at the Blazers G League affiliate.
Shaedon Sharpe Leads the Trail Blazers to a CLUTCH win over the Atlanta Hawks Sheadon Sharpe’s good. The Trail Blazers have real depth. A winning streak hath risen.
Portland’s Rebuild: Are the Trail Blazers Too Good to Tank? (or Did They Just Win 2 Games?) Justin Verrier of The Ringer joins the program to talk about the Trail Blazers present and future, discuss the necessity of trading veterans, and consider whether the Blazers are too good to tank.
