"He's gonna have the ball in his hands a lot." Devin Booker on Jalen Green, a lead ball handler for Phoenix and learning he needn't make the hero play. Phoenix were near the league's bottom in shots at the rim last year; Booker says "unleashing Jalen" should change that.
Khaman Maluach getting more opportunity has helped Phoenix's offense, Devin Booker said at practice: "we found some different things that have been working for us." With Grayson Allen gone, he said, they lost 3-point shooting and "have to find ways to make up for that."
"I feel like we got the best bench unit in the league and to add me to it, it'll be great too." Miles Bridges will come off Phoenix's bench with Luke Kennard, Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, and is picking up full court on defense for the first time since Michigan State.
"Doesn't mean who starts will end the game." Phoenix coach Jordan Ott has not settled on Mark Williams or Oso Ighodaro at center, to start or to close. Williams has more late-game experience when teams foul Ighodaro, who brings plenty else. Opener is Oct. 21 in Portland.
Suns coach Jordan Ott hopes Luke Kennard and Oso Ighodaro are back for opening night but didn't commit. Everyone else came out of the preseason healthy: "I think we're in a pretty good place there." Miles Bridges returned, and Ott called his defensive intent "high level."
"I feel great. I'm excited to play," a healthy Jalen Green said after the Suns' Oct. 16 game. He's slowing down from his Houston days as a table-setter, "not looking for my shot right away in the beginning of the offense," hunting the right pass and two feet in the paint.
"I'm not going to be playing 38 minutes per night," Portland's Damian Lillard, 36, says. He felt fine at 20 to 25 minutes in preseason and the guard depth means less load. He plans to play back-to-backs but may sit one somewhere, to stay fresh for the postseason.
With Scoot Henderson's contract decision near, Jrue Holiday says Portland put a lot in his hands: "him making the decision... he's shown out all training camp." Holiday leans on him but won't offer contract advice unasked: "Scoot knows that he can control what he can control."
Jrue Holiday backs Micah Nori's plan to play 10 or 11 deep in shorter stints for Portland: "We have depth, and I think that's something that we should use if we have it. Because we have it." He called last year's defensive rebounding "terrible," a topic raised "every day."
Branden Carlson still has concussion headaches and isn't 100%, Portland coach Micah Nori said, adding Carlson has had one before: "So hopefully he will be okay." Chris Youngblood tweaked his Achilles but practiced a little. Micah Potter is still working back from an illness.
"I think for sure we will go 10 deep. Absolutely." Portland's Micah Nori said Sidy Cissoko and Vit Krejci are probably the 9th and 10th men for now. Nori asks Cissoko to defend "damn near 5 positions"; Krejci stays on the floor through energy, effort and defense.
Yang Hansen can fill in on nights Robert Williams III is out, Portland coach Micah Nori said. He sees Micah Potter as the option when shooting is needed and Branden Carlson as a vertical threat at power forward. On his depth: "It's really a good problem to have."
Jrue Holiday hurt his hand guarding Sacramento. An X-ray found "nothing was broke"; swelling kept him out of Portland's final exhibition. Micah Nori thinks he'll be good for the Phoenix opener. Robert Williams III sat too. Nori: "We really missed them, which is no excuse."
Robert Williams III says he's available for the season and wants to play back-to-backs for Portland; last year's trainer-built plan capped him at two straight games. "Minute-wise, got to be smart, but for sure I want to make that leap." He'll "see if I can get there."
Ja Morant, Damian Lillard, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan started Portland's last preseason game. Coach Micah Nori called that "probably a pretty good indication" for the Oct. 21 opener vs. Phoenix but didn't commit. Scoot Henderson comes off the bench for "downhill scoring."
"A lot of guys are going 3 stints in one half as opposed to 2," Portland Trail Blazers coach Micah Nori said Oct. 18, describing shorter shifts across his rotation. He said the team also has a lot of different ways to close games.
Yang Hansen played 20 minutes on Oct. 16, and Portland coach Micah Nori said he needs high-level minutes to adjust to NBA speed and length: "Hansen needs to play high-level basketball." Nori took the blame for Al Horford hitting three 3-pointers over Hansen in his first stint.
Damian Lillard is back from a lower-body injury. Portland coach Micah Nori said 13 free throw attempts show his quickness is intact, and "he hurt his lower body, not his upper body. He can still shoot the thing." Nori said the team got through the preseason relatively healthy.
Deni Avdija is taking fewer shots this preseason but making them count. Portland coach Micah Nori said adding Ja Morant, a willing passer, lets Avdija play off the ball more: "maybe not as many shots for Deni, but he's been able to be much more efficient."