The Portland Trail Blazers lost their season opener to the Minnesota Timberwolves with a final score of 118-114. As the lights on recent extended players Toumani Camara and Shaedon Sharpe were perhaps the brightest on opening night, an unexpected wellspring of hope came from a very unexpected place: Jerami Grant.
Many Blazers fans expected Grant to start this season, but that was not the reality at the Blazers’ first home game. Instead, he checked in for Shaedon Sharpe after just four minutes. His impact on both ends was immediately felt as he sank six of his eight shots of the half, scoring 16 points in just 14 minutes, finishing with 29 points on just 14 shots.
Jerami Grant's 29 bench points showcase his value in a new role
One of Grant’s most glaring issues last season was his apparent unwillingness to share. Many Blazers possessions terminated the second he touched the ball, and a barrage of ill-advised shots soon followed. Grant was clanking contested fadeaways and driving straight into two defenders, both often to punishing and demoralizing effect.
This trend continued into the preseason, where Grant looked somewhat disengaged and took more than his fair share of bad shots. It remained to be seen if he was actively protesting his potential demotion or if this was what Billups’ revamped offense actually looked like.
When the Blazers held media day, there was a palpable chill at Grant’s presser when he was asked about how much starting meant to him. After his final game last season on March 9, the remainder of the team really seemed to gel—it was safe to wonder then if change was underway in Portland.
That change did come, and while Grant still received a full compliment of minutes, his scoring punch off the bench is something the Blazers have sorely lacked for what seems like many years. His output went beyond procedural, with a jaw-dropping move at 5:29 left in the 3rd quarter to shake and then posterize a hapless Naz Reid.
Throughout the game, Grant seemed to have a renewed synergy with his teammates and most—if not all—of his offense seemed deeply within the rhythm of the game rather than anathema to it. Though the Blazers ultimately dropped their season opener, Grant buying into the sixth man role will greatly benefit the Blazers as the season wears on.