“It’s not solely about his previous shooting struggles. He was hesitating on some open shots or taking longer to read the defense, but he’s addressing that effectively now. I’m thrilled to see his improvement, happy for him, and it definitely strengthens our team.”
Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers (19-52) faced a 114-111 defeat against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, marking only the second instance in NBA history, since the 1970-71 season when box scores started tracking starters, that a team began a game with five rookies.
The Trail Blazers have now endured six consecutive losses and have dropped 10 of their last 12 games.
Due to injuries sidelining key players like Deandre Ayton (elbow), Jerami Grant (hamstring), Anfernee Simons (knee), and Matisse Thybulle (ankle), the Trail Blazers fielded a starting lineup consisting of Toumani Camara, Kris Murray, Duop Reath, and Rayan Rupert alongside Scoot Henderson, who was the third overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Despite their lack of experience, the Trail Blazers put up a competitive performance throughout the game. Coach Chauncey Billups opted for a simplified offensive strategy against the Nuggets, focusing on just two sets to encourage the team to play instinctively rather than overthink.
This simplified approach proved beneficial. Although the Trail Blazers committed several crucial turnovers late in the game, the experiment with rookie players provided a foundation for future improvement.
Billups emphasized the importance of seizing opportunities, particularly for the inexperienced players in the absence of veterans. He sees these moments as valuable learning experiences, believing that the players will reflect on their performance and strive to improve in similar situations in the future.
