tlongII
07-16-2012, 10:21 AM
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2012/07/point_guard_damian_lillard_off_to_a_promising_star .html
LAS VEGAS -- After endless streams of Nicolas Batum drama, free agency speculation and coaching search curiosity, there was a welcome summer sight Sunday night: A Trail Blazers basketball game.
And after a miserable first half that may have had fans wishing for a return to the tiresome offseason scuttlebutt, the Blazers eventually provided a nice reprieve, defeating the New Orleans Hornets 85-82 in their summer league opener.
Meyers Leonard had a promising outing, Luke Babbitt continued to show growth and Wesley Matthews was in midseason form during a brief stint as the Blazers came back from a double-digit deficit to beat the Hornets at the Thomas & Mack Center.
But the highlight of it all was the play of Damian Lillard, the rookie who general manager Neil Olshey has dubbed the Blazers' "franchise point guard." Lillard started the day with teammates serenading him with the "Happy Birthday" song at the Blazers' morning shootaround on his 22nd birthday. It ended with a 25-point, four-assist, four-rebound performance that backed up all the hype.
"Unbelievable," Leonard said of Lillard's performance. "I've seen what I need to see out of him. I completely expected it. But now he's just going to take off from here."
For weeks, Blazers fans have been hearing about Lillard's can't-miss jumper and poised demeanor, but he didn't showcase it immediately Sunday night. After converting an early layup, Lillard missed eight consecutive shots during a forgettable first half in which he made just 2 of 10 shots and finished with four points.
But his body language never changed, his head never hung and when the second half started, it was clear he had shaken the "butterflies" that settled into his stomach before his first professional game.
With his jumper failing him, Lillard started attacking the basket and creating easy buckets through the pick and roll. He routinely went around and through defenders on the perimeter and when something wasn't there, he made plays for himself and teammates.
During one nice stretch in the second quarter, Lillard had three three-point plays and swished a baseline three-pointer. He excelled in the pick and roll, flashed the poise teammates have been raving about all week and showed a knack for creating open shots for his teammates by penetrating the lane to draw defenders and then kicking the ball out for wide open layups. His teammates didn't always knock down shots, but they were there.
And when it was all said and done, he also delivered the Blazers a victory. He missed two game-clinching free throws in the closing seconds, but he also hit a clutch, step-back three-pointer that helped ice the game and finished 9 of 21 from the field after enduring the cold first half.
Afterward, Lillard was modest, giving himself a C+ grade for his performance.
"I could have done more in the first half," he said. "I could have played a lot better in the first half. But I thought I made that adjustment and I didn't take myself out of the game. I thought I turned it around pretty well.
"I got a few birthday gifts in the second half."
Meanwhile, Leonard revealed a heavy dose of mean and a capable, though raw, offensive game. He mixed it up with the Hornets, jawing with them several times, and showcased his athleticism on both ends of the floor. He finished a nice alley-oop dunk off a pass from Lillard and, in one of the highlights of the game, completed a monster two-handed dunk off a pretty pass from rookie Will Barton.
There were some rookie moments -- he airmailed two outlet passes that led to turnovers and accumulated seven fouls -- but he finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
As Matthews emerged from the postgame locker room, he couldn't stop himself from raving about Leonard.
"I like Meyers, man," Matthews said. "When he puts it all together, he's gonna be good."
All the while, Babbitt was solid. He hit timely threes, flashed polish and had a composed presence that has been lacking in the past. He kept the Blazers afloat during the stretches the rookies struggled and finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Notes
Nolan Smith suffered a left ankle sprain after scoring 10 points in 12 minutes and did not return. He said he planned to play in the Blazers' next game Tuesday. ... Barton had five points and six rebounds off the bench. ... Matthews played just under 15 minutes and finished with seven points.
LAS VEGAS -- After endless streams of Nicolas Batum drama, free agency speculation and coaching search curiosity, there was a welcome summer sight Sunday night: A Trail Blazers basketball game.
And after a miserable first half that may have had fans wishing for a return to the tiresome offseason scuttlebutt, the Blazers eventually provided a nice reprieve, defeating the New Orleans Hornets 85-82 in their summer league opener.
Meyers Leonard had a promising outing, Luke Babbitt continued to show growth and Wesley Matthews was in midseason form during a brief stint as the Blazers came back from a double-digit deficit to beat the Hornets at the Thomas & Mack Center.
But the highlight of it all was the play of Damian Lillard, the rookie who general manager Neil Olshey has dubbed the Blazers' "franchise point guard." Lillard started the day with teammates serenading him with the "Happy Birthday" song at the Blazers' morning shootaround on his 22nd birthday. It ended with a 25-point, four-assist, four-rebound performance that backed up all the hype.
"Unbelievable," Leonard said of Lillard's performance. "I've seen what I need to see out of him. I completely expected it. But now he's just going to take off from here."
For weeks, Blazers fans have been hearing about Lillard's can't-miss jumper and poised demeanor, but he didn't showcase it immediately Sunday night. After converting an early layup, Lillard missed eight consecutive shots during a forgettable first half in which he made just 2 of 10 shots and finished with four points.
But his body language never changed, his head never hung and when the second half started, it was clear he had shaken the "butterflies" that settled into his stomach before his first professional game.
With his jumper failing him, Lillard started attacking the basket and creating easy buckets through the pick and roll. He routinely went around and through defenders on the perimeter and when something wasn't there, he made plays for himself and teammates.
During one nice stretch in the second quarter, Lillard had three three-point plays and swished a baseline three-pointer. He excelled in the pick and roll, flashed the poise teammates have been raving about all week and showed a knack for creating open shots for his teammates by penetrating the lane to draw defenders and then kicking the ball out for wide open layups. His teammates didn't always knock down shots, but they were there.
And when it was all said and done, he also delivered the Blazers a victory. He missed two game-clinching free throws in the closing seconds, but he also hit a clutch, step-back three-pointer that helped ice the game and finished 9 of 21 from the field after enduring the cold first half.
Afterward, Lillard was modest, giving himself a C+ grade for his performance.
"I could have done more in the first half," he said. "I could have played a lot better in the first half. But I thought I made that adjustment and I didn't take myself out of the game. I thought I turned it around pretty well.
"I got a few birthday gifts in the second half."
Meanwhile, Leonard revealed a heavy dose of mean and a capable, though raw, offensive game. He mixed it up with the Hornets, jawing with them several times, and showcased his athleticism on both ends of the floor. He finished a nice alley-oop dunk off a pass from Lillard and, in one of the highlights of the game, completed a monster two-handed dunk off a pretty pass from rookie Will Barton.
There were some rookie moments -- he airmailed two outlet passes that led to turnovers and accumulated seven fouls -- but he finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
As Matthews emerged from the postgame locker room, he couldn't stop himself from raving about Leonard.
"I like Meyers, man," Matthews said. "When he puts it all together, he's gonna be good."
All the while, Babbitt was solid. He hit timely threes, flashed polish and had a composed presence that has been lacking in the past. He kept the Blazers afloat during the stretches the rookies struggled and finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Notes
Nolan Smith suffered a left ankle sprain after scoring 10 points in 12 minutes and did not return. He said he planned to play in the Blazers' next game Tuesday. ... Barton had five points and six rebounds off the bench. ... Matthews played just under 15 minutes and finished with seven points.