Summer League Shootaround: Bayless, Cunningham will play tonight
by Joe Freeman, The Oregonian
The news from the Trail Blazers' morning shootaround was encouraging regarding the team's two injured starters.
Point guard Jerryd Bayless and forward Dante Cunningham went through all portions of the shootaround and are expected to resume their starting roles tonight when the Blazers play the San Antonio Spurs in a summer league matchup at Cox Pavilion.
Bayless encountered right calf spasms in the closing seconds of Friday night's loss to the Denver Nuggets after he finished an alley-oop dunk. But he showed no ill-effects today -- in fact, Bayless put in overtime this morning at the Thomas and Mack Center, where the team worked out, as he stayed with assistant coach Kaleb Canales for some extra shooting long after the team had left for their hotel.
Cunningham, meanwhile, returned to action today after missing last night's game because of a left groin injury. The 6-foot-8 rookie, who injured his groin in the opener Monday, did not report any lingering discomfort to Blazers trainers and will start at power forward tonight.
Jeter earns first start
Pooh Jeter, the University of Portland graduate who is trying to land a roster spot with the Blazers, will start for the first time this week tonight against the Spurs.
Coach Joe Prunty said he's inserting Jeter into the start shooting guard position to provide the Blazers just that -- shooting. Through the first three summer league games, shooting has been a glaring problem for Blazers' shooting guards.
Coach Joe Prunty said he's inserting Jeter into the start shooting guard position to provide the Blazers just that -- shooting. Through the first three summer league games, shooting has been a glaring problem for Blazers' shooting guards.
In the opener against the Toronto Raptors, Thomas Gardner started and missed all eight of his field goals, including all six of his three-point attempts. In the Blazers' second game against the Houston Rockets, David Moss replaced Gardner in the starting lineup and made just 1 of 9 field goals.
Moss improved last night against the Nuggets -- draining 5 of 9 shots to finish with 10 points -- but Jeter has proven more capable and more reliable through three games.
Jeter is averaging 13.3 points per game and is shooting 52 percent from the field (14 for 27). He's also registered 11 assists and three steals. Prunty has become increasingly more comfortable with Jeter as the week has progressed and Jeter's playing time has increased each game, from 15 to 21 to 31 minutes.
Prunty was clear that Bayless would continue to play point the majority of the time tonight, even though Jeter is a natural point guard. But Prunty needed a spark at shooting guard, so Jeter gets the nod.
and true. If he owns him, it would surely boost his confidence, even if it doesn't seem to be a problem for now.
Look for it tomorrow afternoon.
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