Portland Trail Blazers · 5 notes
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.
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."
Trail Blazers 1/2 Branden Carlson, new to Portland after two years on a two-way deal with OKC, says he can play power forward or center: "I'm very confident in both positions." Calls himself a floor-stretching pick-and-pop big, with "a little bit of rim protection."
Trail Blazers 2/2 Branden Carlson said belief from Joe and coach Micah Nori made Portland feel right. On his 2017-2019 mission in England he touched a basketball "maybe a dozen times," then threw up in his first workout back at Utah. He doesn't think he'd be here without it.
Splitter sees closing lineups as situational: "super small" or bigger, with Jrue Holiday on the floor and Deni Avdija handling the ball. He'll mix lineups across the four preseason games and sees Branden Carlson and Micah Potter as backups at power forward and center.