This might be a dime or a turnover, I'm not sure yet. (Credit: YardBarker.com)

Blazers finish their 2nd game of the 2010 NBA Summer League with a victory. We again will forego our regular Re-Thoughts and simply review the starting lineup. Also, make sure to check our twitter for constant updates live from Vegas.

Dante Cunningham (6-for-12, 14 points, 2-2 FT, 5 rebounds, 4 turnovers)

The differnce between Games 1 and 2 from Dante Cunningham were like night and day. In Game 1, Cunningham seemed hesitant and almost floated along as others stood out. In Game 2, Cunningham was aggressive and really put his stamp on the ball game. Early on DC had some stand-out moments. On his first offensive touch, Dante caught the ball on the baseline and immediately attacked off the dribble, going left and finishing in the paint. In an early defensive possession, the Blazers deflected the ball out of bounds and Cunningham was seen clapping and talking to teammates, showing flashes of leadership we had yet to see from the 2nd year player.

That’s not to say he’s a completely new player, but it’s good to see him attempting to expand his game. Continuing to develop a mentality of attacking offensively can only do him well. There were times last night where Dante looked a little unsure of what to do when help defense came on his drives. That should get better with time.

Jeff Pendergraph (4-for-8, 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks,  7 fouls, 3-5 FT)

In Game 1, Pendergraph was very aggressive offensively. In Game 2, he more or less let the game come to him. Coup thinks that he doesn’t look much different than last year. When analyzing Pendergraph’s performance this summer, I think it all boils down to expectations. I think last summer, no one had any expectations for Pendergraph. This summer, there might be higher expectations which is why people may be a little more down on him.

Defensively, Pendergraph was better than in Game 1. He had more energy, more talk and a couple of really good rotations in the pick-and-roll. Offensively, I’m a little concerned that a lot of his touches are coming in between the three point line and the post. Or as I like to call it, the Zach Randolph zone, because that’s where Z-Bo would post up and start wagging his left hand. I’d like to see him get better position and then work from there.

Luke Babbitt (4-for-9, 9 points, 1 rebound, 0-2 3PA, 2 FTA)

The thing I continue to notice about Luke Babbitt is how crafty he is offensively. He may not be the quickest of the bunch, but he knows how to use his body to get position. He finds ways to do the little things to give himself space, both on and off the ball. He does a great job of getting separation. Coup does not like the way his shot looks off the catch at all, thinking there’s not enough lift. I’m fine with it, the shots will fall. He’s got enough offensive talent. The biggest question mark continues to come on the defensive end.

Babbitt got minutes at the 4 last night, and all I’m going to say is Blazer fans should not entertain the idea of him playing the 4. He looked overwhelmed. Babbitt was getting punished on the block, not by Paul Millsap or DeJuan Blair, but by Kyle Hines. Also, Babbitt looked lost guarding the pick-and-roll, not knowing whether to hedge or switch. That kind of hesitation led to his man getting to the foul line.

Armon Johnson (6-for-12, 15 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, 3 TO)

If you ask me, Armon Johnson continues to be the most impressive of the bunch. Simply put, the kid can play. He continues to display excellent body control and is showing off a change of pace with his hesitation. He also finishes strong at the room. I also like his mentality on defense, constantly working. Sometimes he tries to gamble for steals, which may work in SL but will cease existing in the Fall.

One complaint is that at times he can disappear. I mean, Matt Winer didn’t even know he was on the court on Sunday for the first 5 minutes.

Patty Mills (6-for-9, 18 points, 3 rebounds, 5 TO’s, 3 steals, 3 assists)

And here is the most polarizing of all Blazers so far this Summer League. Mills has drawn praise from a ton of people with his play. It’s hard to argue with his talent. He’s showed off a lot of his skills. It’s almost a shame to see such a talented player not come back. The play where he split the defense off a pick and roll and then finished in the lane was impressive. At the same time, perhaps one of the reasons he’s shined so brightly in this Summer League is that he’s one of the few *actual* point guards in town.

Our major problem with Mills’ play this Summer is that there are still question marks surrounding his PG skills. He was not very accurate with his passes last night as they looked a little soft. Not to mention, getting ripped at halfcourt after a completely unnecessary fake pass was a bit embarrassing. He is a very skilled player, but is he a PG? Is he better than Armon Johnson for this team?

"I'm super excited to play in Vegas again. Mainly because this time I won't have to deal with this excellent defender bugging me" (Credit: YardBarker.com)

It’s hard to write something about Summer League without giving a sort of perspective on it. People should know: Summer League is a completely different beast than regular basketball. Unfortunately, SL comes at a time when all basketball fans are in desperate need of a basketball fix. There’s a certain buzz about it, which is a credit to the NBA for raising the SL’s profile. Getting the first glimpse at a John Wall at such a dead time for hoop fans only raises expectations when it shouldn’t.

Let’s just be honest from the start: the quality of basketball in Summer League is not all that great. There are times when you can get the same quality watching a pickup run with college players. If I were David Stern I would make a reality show off a SL team. Think about it…It’s an odd mishmash of rookies trying to get their feet wet, second or third year players who may or may not want to be there, journeymen trying to catch on anywhere and some people there for the party. Sometimes that leads to players doing too much, going too fast, and a lot of whistles. If you’ve been watching the Orlando Summer League, you pretty much know what to expect from it.

The Blazers are in a unique situation in that they will be showcasing 5 players who have attachments to the team (Pendergraph, Cunningham, Babbitt, Mills, Johnson). As a fan this has to be seen as an ideal situation. It gives you more time to look into the future and truly look at your own talent instead of wishing ‘Man I wish Pooh Jeter would pass the ball’ (sorry Pooh) or desperately looking for a roster sheet/Google. That being said, I would keep the expectations low. Summer League is Summer League, yes it can give you a glimpse into a player, but it is not going to give you the whole book. Example: remember how awful Nic Batum looked in Summer League? Now there are Blazer fans who wouldn’t trade him for Chris Paul. Also, remember how great Qyntel Woods used to look in Summer League? Every Summer he would trick Blazer fans by dominating and then would just end up being the same old Q. For pete’s sakes Adam Morrison averaged 20 last year and he stopped making baskets in November.

The title may say projections, but I’m moreso going to list what I want to see from each players involved. Like I said before, in Summer League stats don’t matter. Luke Babbitt can go average 33, but if it takes him 28 shots to get it should I really be impressed? To truly analyze a player on this odd platform, you have to look at the little things.

• Jeff Pendergraph: Want to see a more physical presence on the boards and defensively. Easy to expect a lot from someone in their 2nd summer league, but let’s keep the expectations low. Pendergraph has shown potential to be a ‘junkyard dog’ or ‘enforcer’ for the Blazers, this platform will give him a great avenue to continue working on those things. He’s already shown an ability to hit a mid-range jumper, so how he operates on the low block is more important. Stronger post defense and an even more beastly attitude on the glass will go a long way.
• Dante Cunningham: An ability to defend against smaller, more athletic players. I don’t know if he’ll get the chance, but if Cunningham can start guarding 2′s and 3′s, the Blazers become even more dangerous. Then, you can throw Cunningham out there at the 4 and switch all sorts of ballscreens and cause havoc defensively. Improved perimeter defense from Cunningham will soften the blow of losing Martell Webster’s activity on that end. Also, we’d like to see more aggressive offense from Cunningham. At times he can look hesitant and unsure of himself. In his second year, those jitters should be gone. You know what else wouldn’t hurt his cause? An improved mid-range jumper. Coup and myself both stated last year that if he could stick that mid-range jumper, he’ll be in the L a long time. He’s shown he can, now he needs to take it to the next level.
• Luke Babbitt: From Babbit, I’ll be looking for a couple things. Babbitt has the offensive skillset to potentially explode at Summer League. I want to see if he’s able to get his shot off easily against longer, athletic opponents. I want to see if he can create offense on his own, or if he’s going to have to have it created for him. If it’s the latter, there isn’t much difference between Babbitt 1.0 and Webster 6.0. Also, I’ll be looking at how he plays defensively. The easy thing to try and see is if he can keep guys in front, which is important. However, I want to see how physical he plays. How he rebounds and how he fits into a team defensive scheme. There are a lot of poor defenders in the NBA who look better because they fit into the team’s scheme.
• Armon Johnson: An ability to finish at the rim. His tagline is that he is a physical, slashing guard who can finish. Similar to Bayless in some respects. At Summer League, playing the off-guard, he should have the ability to show off his ability to create.
• Patty Mills: Comfort running the show. A part of us died last summer when Mills was injured and could not participate. What Mills has to show, is a comfort in running the offense. We know about the quicks and the potential, but can he groom that into consistency. He could prove to be a vital piece for the Blazers in the future, I’m just excited to get an extended look at him.