Scoot Henderson failed to score in the Trail Blazers' Game 4 loss to the Spurs. He was a non-factor at an inopportune time, as Portland desperately needed more offensive creation in the second half. Ideally, Scoot would have put together a more consistent series. But in the scheme of things, Portland can't let one disastrous game take away from the other promising signs he's shown through the first few games.
Henderson was a huge reason why Portland was able to steal Game 2 on the road, with an efficient 31-point performance. He also followed that up with an impressive 21-point outing, giving Portland a chance at winning Game 3.
The Blazers frustratingly collapsed in the second half of both games and will absolutely need to address their playmaking and shooting woes this offseason. But the silver lining is that Henderson has solidified his place in their young core going forward.
Scoot Henderson has earned his spot in Portland's young core
The next step in his development will be putting together these good games on a more consistent basis, but Portland has to be pleased with his development this season, even if it was a non-linear trajectory. The key for Henderson is to simply put together more good games than bad games at this point, and he's done just that on the biggest stage of Portland's entire rebuild.
Portland must redefine expectations for Henderson. He's no longer the primary offensive initiator they expected when taking him No. 3 overall in the draft, but he's still carving out an incredibly valuable role. He's drastically improved defensively, with Jrue Holiday's arrival clearly accelerating that growth. Offensively, he's paired an improved three-point shot with more sound decision-making, not forcing the issue as much without compromising the confidence that made him such a coveted prospect in the first place.
Now fully implemented into the starting lineup, Scoot will have a prime opportunity to bounce back in Game 5, with Portland's next matchup coming Tuesday in San Antonio with a 6:30 pm tip-off. This game should tell us a lot about Henderson's progress and whether or not Game 4's dud was merely a fluke.
One benefit of making the playoffs this season was to get a better sense of where this young core is in terms of player evaluation. And while the likes of Shaedon Sharpe and Donovan Clingan have been disappointing, Henderson's emergence has to be encouraging heading into the summer.
They can't let one bad game overshadow how much he has improved this season, and must continue to be patient with his development. This series has proven that Henderson's progress is worth the wait.
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