The Portland Trail Blazers plan to speed things up this season, and that is extremely welcome news for everyone, but specifically third-year point guard Scoot Henderson. The former No. 3 pick has struggled in half-court offensive sets during his first two NBA seasons. But Henderson's blazing speed and leaping ability make him an obvious option to lead a fast-paced offense. When Henderson gets downhill, he's at his best.
He just hasn't been able to get downhill much. In Henderson's two seasons, the Blazers ranked No. 16 and No. 21 in pace, and No. 13 and No. 23 in fast break points. The offense seldom prioritized pace, which isn't too hard to explain — defensive intensity was the team's calling card last year (No. 4 defensive rating post-All Star) which led to a lot of slowed down, grinder-type games.
But if Chauncey Billups can strike a balance between slowing opponents down and allowing the Blazers to still thrive in transition, it could be a big swing factor for these 'Zers.
According to Joe Freeman of OregonLive / The Oregonian, the Blazers' effort to play fast has been a theme of training camp. Scoot Henderson seems pretty thrilled about the development, saying, "The way we’re playing this year is going to be a lot faster. We always talked about how we wanted to play fast, but there was never really any construction around it. So we were kind of just free-roaming a little bit. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun, (have) a lot of unexpected cuts, and I’m going to be able to know where everybody’s at. We’re all going to be moving in unison. So it’s going to be fun.”
In other words... They're finally letting me run!
However... If you're thinking this may sound like deja vu, you have a good memory. Almost exactly a year ago, Scoot Henderson praised the pace that Chauncey Billups was instilling in the team during training camp and preseason, saying, "Coach is letting me rock right now," and that, "Our plan last year was to play faster, but this year, it’s really emphasized."
Well, okay.
They mean it this time! (I actually do kind of think they mean it this time... Fool me thrice, shame on me or whatever the saying is).
A faster paced Blazers would benefit other players, too
Deni Avdija is a runaway train when he has the ball in transition. He was No. 37 in fast break points last season (3.0) and if the Blazers really do speed things up, is there any reason Avdija can't finish in the top five in fast break points in the league? I'm searching for a reason... And I can't find one! In fact, I'll put my stamp on it right now. Deni Avdija will finish next season in the top five for individual fast break points.
Shaedon Sharpe, meanwhile, has shown an ability to create in half-court sets. His upside in shot creation is why his ceiling remains so high, in fact. But he would still benefit from some pace, too, acting as both an elite lob-catcher and slasher on the break.
Yes, we've been told in the past that the Blazers want to speed things up. But if they actually, really, truly implement some pace in 2025-26, then we all benefit because it means far less disjointed half-court sets.