Injuries and defense were the story of the day for the Blazers in their second game of the Vegas Summer League. Portland’s defense refocused, bringing high energy against the overmatched Pelicans. After an early lead, New Orleans struggled to find points without rookie Dyson Daniels, who left in the first half with an injury. The Blazers outscored the Pelicans 31-17 and 23-9 in the second and third quarters, respectively.
The game was dwarfed by the Blazers’ earlier announcement that Shaedon Sharpe had suffered a torn left shoulder. Sharpe, the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, injured his shoulder against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, and the timetable for his recovery is unclear.
It was expected to be a showcase for Sharp and No. 8 pick Daniels. But Dyson became the third single-digit pick to suffer an injury in Summer League (the other being Detroit’s Jaden Ivey) by rolling his ankle on a drive. The Pelicans looked unmistakably lost after his exit, with some prodding from Portland’s frantic defense.
The players
Almost any review of a Blazers player can be boiled down to “doesn’t shoot very well, but really works hard on defense.”
Jabari Walker looks good. For any second round pick, the hope is that they just might make it in Summer League, and Walker did just that. He sparked the Blazers’ key 18-point run in the first half that turned the tide and blew the game open. He recorded 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block in 18 minutes.
Keon Johnson’s defense led to multiple turnovers, and his offense was okay. Good night to Keon who may have broken his ankle at one point. He completed the stats with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, but 3 turnovers.
Greg Brown III’s performance is reminiscent of last year’s Summer League. Tons of energy, lots of hops and always visible. He finished with 7 points (on 2 field goals), 4 rebounds and the usual highlight-reel block.
Didi Louzada was generally invisible. He didn’t score a goal but had 2 assists and 2 rebounds.
Trendon Watford was the team’s steady, grizzled veteran. He was never too high, never too low and knew where to be on the court. He led the team with a double-double, 17 points and 11 rebounds, plus 5 assists.
Brandon Williams didn’t shoot well, but he got enough shots to get into double figures. He scored 14 points on 4-14 shooting.
Kyle Alexander (4-5, 9 points), Craig Randall II (6 points) and Colby Ross (4-5, 8 points) had solid offensive performances, bringing the Blazers extra points in key moments off the bench.
Next game
The Blazers open Monday night against the New York Knicks.
Field Score
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