The Portland Trail Blazers kicked off their preseason schedule by taking on the Phoenix Suns at the Moda Center.
Portland got off to a hot start and led 32-24 after the first quarter, but ultimately fell short. The Suns took this game 114-112, with Devin Booker scoring 19 points.
For Portland, Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkić led the charge. Lillard posted 18 points and four assists on 8-15 shooting in 20 minutes.
Nurkić put in 16 points on 61.5 percent shooting while disrupting inside per usual. The big Bosnian had a few highlight reel plays which got their fans off their feet.
C.J. McCollum also chipped in with 10 points of his own.
It’s worth noting that Ed Davis and Evan Turner got the start at the forward spots. This might not be the starters come opening night, but it seems as if the veterans have the early lead.
Blazer fans should not be overly concerned about the result. You will likely not see any of the big names logging over 28 minutes until possibly the last preseason outing.
There will be more than a few experimentations as Stotts looks to cut down the roster to 15, and the rotation to nine.
Finally, first-round draft picks Zach Collins (five points, eight rebounds) and Caleb Swanigan (18 points, seven rebounds) both got their first taste of competitive NBA action.
3 Takeaways
Rotation watch
Terry Stotts started Nurk, McCollum and Lillard along with Davis and Turner. The first subs were Meyers Leonard, Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless and Pat Connaughton.
There is no way of knowing if this will stick, but it’s worth keeping tabs of in preseason.
Aminu and Harkless will continue to fight for the starting gig. Collins and Swanigan are making their push for frontcourt minutes while Anthony Morrow is due to show up.
Stotts used Turner as the backup ball-handler while McCollum and/or Lillard were off the floor, and this trend will likely continue as ET gets properly utilized more than last season.
New Meyers Leonard?
Pick-and-rolling? Staying vertical when contesting shots? Not mindlessly fouling? Going after rebounds on both ends?
We may have a new Meyers everyone!
After the offseason, in which he worked out with Los Angeles trainer Drew Hanlan, fans eagerly awaited the reported improvements in his game.
He has proven to have changed his mindset on the court during this very short sample size.
If Meyers continues this pattern of controlled aggression, then he could be a real asset to this team. Observe the rest of the preseason and then determine if this is sustainable after all.
Stars in mid-season form
Lillard and Nurk both looked like they were in February by the way they were playing. Nurkić’s night included dunking on opponents, hitting perimeter jumpers and mixing it up inside with some crafty post moves.
On the perimeter, Lillard looked quicker than ever and shot the ball with high efficiency. Mixing up his perimeter shots with some floaters made it all the more pretty.
Next: Things to watch for in Nurk this season
Although McCollum didn’t have the best of nights (4-14 shooting), the quality of his looks didn’t change. He looked entrenched in the flow of the game as if last season never ended.
The Blazers continue their preseason slate Thursday night as they face the Toronto Raptors at the Moda Center.