The Portland Trail Blazers had a six-game losing streak. They just snapped that with a 135-115 blowout win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. The difference? Scoot Henderson.
Okay, there were other factors, such as Portland playing at home against a rebuilding Grizzlies team that just moved on from Jaren Jackson Jr. Given the convincing nature of the victory, they likely would've gotten the win regardless of Henderson's availability.
But this looked like a completely different team with a traditional point guard in the picture, and it shows that Henderson's return could be just what they needed for a playoff push.
Blazers desperately need this version of Scoot Henderson
As anticipated, Scoot played just 21 minutes as he continues to get up to speed and find his rhythm. But he certainly made the most of his limited role, finishing with a well-rounded 11 points (4-10 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), nine assists, and five rebounds.
It wasn't all pretty as Henderson struggled with his turnovers (5) and shooting efficiency -- two issues that plagued him through his first two seasons with Portland. However, the fact that he finished with a team-high +19 despite the limited minutes tells you everything you need to know about his impact on this game.
This Blazers' offense was night and day compared to their previous six games, and having a table setter was a huge reason why. Portland has been overly reliant on Deni Avdija as a point forward throughout the season. That was exposed when he went down with a lower back injury (and wasn't himself despite playing through the injury for a stretch). They desperately needed Scoot to return, and Blazers fans were understandably eager to see him back in action as the hamstring injury lingered far beyond the initial expected recovery timeline.
In the scheme of things, nothing matters more than Henderson's long-term outlook as the ceiling of Portland's rebuild largely depends on how their former No. 3 overall pick pans out. We don't want to overreact to one game, but this was awfully promising.
We saw a different version of Scoot as he was able to make a major impact, even with his shot not falling. It's only a matter of time before he improves that efficiency as he continues to gain more reps, meaning we have yet to see his best basketball.
We've always stressed the importance of being patient with young guards, as it's typically the position that takes the longest time to develop. And if this game was any indication, the 22-year-old guard is still well on track to carve out a solid NBA career.
Given the uncertainty of Portland's backcourt, this game has to be a massive relief for both the Blazers and Scoot himself.