Injury and defense was the story of the day for the Blazers in the second Vegas Summer League match. Portland’s defenses have moved to overdrive, providing high energy for overwhelmed pelicans. After an early lead, New Orleans had a hard time finding points without rookie Dyson Daniels, who was sent off injured in the first half. The Blazers outperformed Pelicans 31-17 and 23-9 in the second and third quarters, respectively.
The game was dwarfed by Shaedon Sharpe with a previous announcement by the Blazers. Suffering from a laceration in the labrum of the shoulder On his left shoulder. Sharp, the seventh-chosen in the 2022 NBA Draft, injured his shoulder against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, and the timeline for his recovery is unknown.
This was expected to be a showcase for Sharp and the 8th Pick Daniels. However, Dyson became the third single-digit pick injured in the Summer League (the other was Jaden Ivey in Detroit) and rolled his ankle on a drive. The Pelican nodded somewhat due to Portland’s desperate defense and seemed undoubtedly lost after his departure.
player
The reviews of almost all Blazers players could be shortened to “I didn’t shoot very well, but I really worked hard on the defense.”
Java Walker How nice. With any second round pick, they want to be able to hold themselves in the Summer League, and Walker is doing just that. He sparked the key 18-point Blazers first half run, flipped the score and started the game. He scored 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, steals and blocks in 18 minutes.
Keon JohnsonThe defense led to multiple turnovers and his attack was okay. Good night for Keon, who may have twisted his ankle at some point. He filled the stats sheet with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, but 3 turnovers.
Greg Brown IIIPerformance is reminiscent of last year’s Summer League. Lots of energy, lots of hops, and always visible. He finished with 7 points (in a 2-shot attempt), 4 rebounds, and a regular highlight block.
Marcos Lousada I couldn’t see it in general. He didn’t score, but had two assists and two rebounds.
Trendon Watford He was a stable and greasy veteran of the team. It wasn’t too high or too low and I knew where I was on the court. He led the team with double-doubles, 17 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists.
Brandon Williams I couldn’t shoot well, but there were enough attempts to reach double digits. He scored 14 points in 4-14 shots.
Kyle Alexander (4-5, 9 points), Craig Randall II (6 points), Colvey Ross (4-5, 8 points) Each showed a solid offensive performance, giving the Blazers extra points at a crucial moment off the bench.
Next game
The Blazers will face the New York Knicks on Monday night.
