Nine games into the season, the Portland Trail Blazers have enough of a sample size to start sorting out who’s trending up and who’s slipping. At 6-3, the record has been encouraging, but the individual performances haven’t all lined up with preseason expectations.
One of the clearest risers has been Sidy Cissoko. After arriving on a two-way contract last season, he’s turned himself into a real rotation piece.
Sahal Arwo pointed to the work Cissoko put in over the offseason, saying, "Sidy Cissoko deserves an immense amount of credit for the strides he has made so far this season. Originally signed to a two-way contract last season, there were times I questioned his NBA future.
He has completed shut me up with the improvements he focused on this past offseason.
"Much better operating off the dribble, he’s added a good enough offensive bag, but most importantly, he has an added a confidence that just wasn’t there last season. He’s been a huge player in the rotation so far this season-especially with the holes at the forward position-and his growth has truly been a joy to watch."
Another player moving in the right direction is Yang, who took advantage of extra run when Robert Williams sat out against the Spurs. In 26 minutes, Yang posted a double-double, and that kind of production has created some intrigue around his future value. Rocco Moschella noted that while Williams and Donovan Clingan have their spots locked in, Yang could still turn himself into a useful trade asset if he keeps producing when his number is called.
On the other side of the ledger, Scoot Henderson hasn’t delivered the kind of start many expected after a strong preseason and training camp. Jeremy Brener wrote that even with Ja Morant sidelined and Henderson moving into the starting lineup, the production still hasn’t matched the hype. His best scoring night so far came on opening night, when he had 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting, and since then the numbers have been rough: just under 33% shooting from the field and 6 made threes on 36 attempts.
Krejci’s stock has also taken a hit, but for a much different reason. He fractured his ankle against the Phoenix Suns and doesn’t have a timetable for return.
Brener described the injury as a major setback, saying, "It's an unfortunate set of circumstances for Krejci, who fractured his ankle against the Phoenix Suns and has no current timetable for his return. He had been playing well, but this is a setback that will likely cost him most, if not all, of the remainder of the regular season.
It's a step backwards not only for him, but for the Blazers as a whole."
In Other News...
Blazers Suddenly Have Real Pressure To Solve A Backcourt Problem
The Trail Blazers came up empty in the Nique Clifford sweepstakes, with Sacramento sending the prospect to Oklahoma City instead of Portland. That leaves Joe Cronin still searching for help in the backcourt, and the need is easy to see given the recent injuries that have thinned out the teams ball-handling options.
Kevin Porter Jr. has emerged as a name to watch, with Cronin reportedly interested and the Miami Heat also in the mix. For Portland, the appeal is obvious: Porter Jr. could bring a fit for Micah Noris offense and help steady a rotation that suddenly has real pressure to find answers, even if the path to getting one is still unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Suddenly Face A Bigger Test Than Their Hot Start
The early glow of Portlands fast start has faded a bit after back-to-back losses to the Lakers and Spurs pushed the Trail Blazers out of the Wests top spot. Even so, there were still encouraging signs in the defeats, including a strong showing against Los Angeles and a night in which Victor Wembanyama made his presence felt for San Antonio, reminders that the Blazers are still capable of competing with quality opponents even when the results turn.
What will matter next is how Portland responds, because the schedule is about to sharpen again with Oklahoma City coming up. Head coach Micah Nori was not pleased with the teams effort against the Spurs, and that makes the next stretch about more than just bouncing back from two losses. It becomes a test of whether the Blazers can steady themselves quickly and show that the opening surge was built on something more durable than a hot start. [Read more 🡒]