The young Blazers have character! Last night, they signed their second victory of the season. It’s on the road again, and against the Pistons, they were down by 18 points in the first half, then by another 15 in the 3rd quarter. Worse, they lost Scoot Henderson to injury in the second half.
While they were playing a third match in four days, Chauncey Billups’ players nevertheless turned the tide of the match, and they can thank Shaedon Sharpe.
While he had only scored 3 points in the first half, the flying guard from Portland will plant 26 points in the second half, including 15 in the 3rd quarter alone on 6 out of 8 shots. It was he who directed the game after the injury of Scoot Henderson, victim of a sprained ankle.
20 points average after five matches
“I’m super, super proud! » Coward Chauncey Billups. “Shaedon was incredible. He had to take the match into his own hands. He did it and he carried us on his shoulders. » Since the start of the season, the Blazers dunker has averaged 20 points!
For Chauncey Billups, his players showed character, and especially commitment after the break. His half-time speech bore fruit.
“We talked all day about what we had to do to win this match,” says the coach. “We kept saying that the team that wins the battle of commitment will win the match… It’s not a question of systems, but of who will win the match of lingering balls. In the first half, they dominated us. Really. I really went after our guys and challenged them at halftime because we talked about it. By returning to the field, we changed the situation.”
The defense of Toumani Camara
The symbol of this commitment is therefore the aggressiveness of Shaedon Sharpe, but also of the rookie Toumani Camara. Chauncey Billups brought him into play to take care of Cade Cunningham, and the Belgian shut down Detroit’s star leader: 3 of 11 on shots in the last quarter, and five missed shots to end the match.
“Toumani was able to compete physically with him,” confirms Chauncey Billups. “He contested shots. (Cunningham) didn’t really get past him, Toumani was able to contain him on every step, and he did a good job on those shots. He had to earn the shots he took, and that was very important for us.”
For Portland, this “road trip” to the East is therefore positive, and the team will now host the Grizzlies twice to move into the positive. Memphis still hasn’t won a single game this season…
| Shaedon Sharpe | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2022-23 | POR | 80 | 22 | 47.2 | 36.0 | 71.4 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 9.9 |
| 2023-24 | POR | 4 | 36 | 43.3 | 34.6 | 91.7 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 5.3 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 18.0 |
| Total | 84 | 23 | 46.9 | 35.9 | 73.5 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 10.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
