Scoot Henderson showcased his skills with 22 points and 10 assists as the Portland Trail Blazers secured an 89-86 victory against Brandon Miller and the Charlotte Hornets. This game featured a showdown between two of the top three draft picks.
Henderson, selected third, demonstrated his scoring ability by making 9 of 17 field goal attempts, contributing significantly to the Trail Blazers snapping a 10-game losing streak. Deandre Ayton also made a significant impact with 24 points and 16 rebounds, while Jabari Walker added 14 points and 22 rebounds.
Taking advantage of Charlotte’s absence of their two 7-foot centers, the Blazers dominated the rebounding battle, outrebounding the Hornets 55-36.
Despite Miller’s 21-point effort for the Hornets, he struggled from long range, making only 1 of 8 attempts from beyond the arc. Charlotte as a team struggled from 3-point range, shooting just 5 of 31, following the announcement of Steve Clifford’s decision to step down as head coach after the season.