Henderson expected to miss Game 4 vs. Memphis with a sprained ankle

The Portland Trail Blazers will be managing their rookie.

“According to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, Portland’s Scooter Henderson (guard, 191 cm, 92 kg) could miss the upcoming game.

Henderson is expected to miss the upcoming home game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 4. He is currently dealing with a bad right ankle. It’s a sprain, not a major injury, so it’s likely a management decision to keep him out.

Henderson’s absence could be a bit of a bummer. Portland has been on a roll lately. After opening the season with three straight losses, they have since defeated the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons. Those wins came in a three-game road trip, so they don’t mean much, and they’ll be looking for their first win at home against Memphis on Thursday. Nevertheless, Portland could reportedly keep him out of the lineup for a while.

It’s extremely unlikely that Henderson will be out for an extended period of time. If he does miss time, it’s likely to be minor and more manageable for the rookie, who is still new to the NBA. In five games so far this season, Henderson is averaging 8.8 points (.346 .095 .857), 2.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 28.4 minutes per game.

He entered the NBA via the 2023 draft. He was selected by Portland with the third pick of the first round. Initially, he was seen as a potential No. 2 pick behind Victor Wembenyama (San Antonio). However, Charlotte, who had the second pick, called up Brandon Miller after much deliberation, allowing Portland to snag Henderson. The team then traded Damian Lillard (Portland) before the season, signaling a rebuild.

A highly touted prospect out of high school, Lillard did not attend college after graduation. Instead, he opted for a professional experience and spent two seasons with the G-League Ignite, a program that accepts players coming out of high school. He was a prolific scorer in the G-League. In the 2021-2022 season, he averaged 14.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.

Last season, he was even better. After adjusting, he was more active on the court. Although he missed the last half of the season, he was even better in the 25 games he did play, averaging 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He also played in the Rising Star Challenge during last season’s All-Star Game, warming up for the NBA. 보스토토

Meanwhile, tonight’s game against Memphis is an in-season tournament game. Portland is paired with Memphis, the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and LA Lakers in the in-season competition, which begins this season. Certain games during the regular season are used as group qualifiers for the tournament, with teams needing to finish first in their respective groups to advance to the finals.