Career Nights from Scoot and Toumani Not Enough for Blazers to Defeat Nets

The Trail Blazers, led by the career scoring night of Scoot Henderson’s 39 points, fall to the lowly Brooklyn Nets 132-114 at Moda Center in Portland. The Blazers struggled to slow down the Nets, who shot 54% from the field and 19-41 (46%) from three point range. The positives for the Blazers came from their second year players Henderson and Toumani Camara, who spoiler alert, also set a career high in points scored in a game.

Camara brought his usual pressure defense, but it was his offense that stood out tonight and honestly would have been the leading story of the game if not for Henderson’s efficient scoring output. Blazers rookie Donovan Clingan logged 22 minutes and collected 14 rebounds. He was also diving on the floor multiple times after loose balls, which is a great hustle stat, but being 7’2” and doing that multiple times a night does cause a Rip City fan to hold their breath.

The Blazers are still shorthanded being without starters Jerami Grant and 6th man standout Deni Avdija, so it was understandable that the team ran out of gas when trying to come back in the fourth quarter. The Blazers battled and never gave up, but the defensive breakdowns and lack of communication ultimately cost them in the end. Let’s dive into an extended analysis of the game.

If you missed the game, you can find a quick recap here. After you’ve read that, here are the details that defined the contest.

MVP of the Game

I have mentioned the roller coaster ride that is Scoot Henderson. It is safe to say tonight would be the apex so far on that ride. Scoot poured in a career high 39 points on 13-18 shooting from the field while dishing out 6 assists. The aspect of his game tonight that will jump out of the box score is the 8-10 from three point land. Henderson not only set a career high in points but a career high in three pointers made. The efficiency in which he scored makes me think this game was different from some of his past high scoring outings.

Henderson got the start tonight in place of the injured Avdija, which set the table for him to get off to a hot start. Also worth noting was his passing tonight. And not just the actual assist numbers, but he had 8-10 passes to corner shooters or cutters that were not converted. Henderson made a pass at the 5:05 mark in the second quarter that showcased his feel for the game. Scoot made a simple drive to the right of the key and passed open Sharpe with a bounce pass that was perfectly timed. The defender had no idea what was happening and Sharpe almost looked shocked by it. Between his passing and efficient scoring, Henderson kept the Blazers in the game, especially in the first half.

Defensive Breakdowns

Tonight was a weird night on the defensive end of the court. The Blazers did a great job of pressuring the ball and playing decent individual defense. The breakdowns came whenever the Nets used a back cut and set off ball screens to free up shooters. Brooklyn recorded a season high 36 assists. These breakdowns can be solved by one simple concept; communication.

Deandre Ayton started at center, but looked disinterested on the defensive end of the court. On back-to-back occasions in the second quarter, the Nets would put Ayton in the pick and roll and the results both times were open layups for Brooklyn, followed up by Ayton pointing fingers. I am not trying to say it was all one player’s fault the Blazers gave up 132 points to the 27th ranked offense in the NBA, but the starting center has a responsibility to make sure the defense is communicating in the halfcourt.

The Corner Three

Some say the corner three is the easiest and most effective shot in the NBA. It the shortest distance to the hoop yet creates a lot of ground for a defender to make up when trying to guard their man in the corner. The Blazers did a great job of setting up guys in the corners and finding them on drives.

Henderson to Camara in the corner was on repeat tonight. Camara’s first five shots of the game came from the corner and three of them from a Henderson drive and kick. Sharpe and Anfernee Simons also play a big role in getting the shooter open in the corner. Their presence on the wing, created a defensive dilemma for the Nets tonight. Most of the time they committed to Simons, which was why he was scoreless in the first half. But the result was getting Camara open for the three. The Blazers need to continue to put their opponents in “pick your poison” situations to make life easier on the offensive side of the ball.

Toumani Camara

I checked the Blazersedge.com extended analysis rule book, and technically I am not allowed to give co-mvp’s, but rules were meant to be broken. Camara scored a career high 23 points, going 4-11 from three point distance. By far the most three’s he has attempted in a game. But I want to highlight his driving ability.

There were two plays that jumped off my television tonight for Camara. The first came at the 7:00 minute mark of the third quarter when Camara was being defended by Ben Simmons. Say what you will about Simmons, but he is still a big body and skilled defender. Camara drove right and gave Simmons a stutter step then pump fake in order to draw the foul. Simmons was beat to the rim, and Camara made him pay.

Again at the 5:28 mark in the fourth quarter, Camara drove all the way to the rim on a semi fast break, which caught the Nets off guard. You could see the confidence growing in real time. I enjoy watching players grow their game, and tonight was a stepping stone night for Camara who looks to be determined not to just be a 3-D player in the NBA.

Where’s the Leadership?

Tonight’s game against the Nets felt like a boat drifting in the ocean without a rudder. There were flashes of high level scoring, blocks, three point shooting, hustle plays, and full court man to man pressure, but there was still something missing. Simons and Ayton are the veterans on the team, and tonight they seemed disconnected. It was good getting to see the young guys set scoring marks, but there seemed to be a lack of effort from the leaders on the team.

The Blazers had a lineup fully capable of beating the Brooklyn Nets tonight, but being stuck in cruise control will not get it done. It’s clear the direction is to get Henderson, Camara, and Sharpe more time to develop. Having players like Ayton and Simons bought in will only help to accelerate that growth. Again, a great night for offensive basketball, but the lack of effort on defense and from the veterans was tough to watch.