2 Studs and 1 Dud in Trail Blazers' convincing preseason win over Jazz

Stud No. 2: Rayan Rupert

Rayan Rupert stood out in this matchup, recording 20 points, four rebounds, and two assists on highly efficient 9-14 shooting from the field. Rupert made just one of five attempts from beyond in this contest but was able to utilize his 6-foot-7 frame and ballhandling ability to pick his spots in the paint and finish.

The fact that he shot a close-to-league average of 35.9 percent from deep during his rookie season is also encouraging for his long-term development. If Rupert can maintain that three-point shooting while improving his unique point-forward skillset, he will make it extremely difficult for Billups not to play him.

He's already making a solid case for getting minutes with the Blazers in his second season despite being just 20 years old. With Sharpe and now Matisse Thybulle both unfortunately sidelined for multiple weeks, the Blazers are shallow at the shooting guard/small forward position, and Rupert can take advantage of the increased role and opportunity.

Rupert has already shown his defensive versatility and ability to utilize his length to be a pesky on-ball defender. But it will be scary once he pieces it all together and figures out exactly the type of player he is and how he can best impact the game on the offensive end.

This recent 20-point outing was a promising step in the right direction as the Blazers enter the regular season, but Rupert still has a long way to go on the offensive end before he becomes a key contributor.