The Portland Trail Blazers played their second preseason game of the 2026-27 campaign on Monday afternoon, obliterating the guest London Lions by a 119-66 final score. As might be expected, it wasn’t much of a contest. Portland led 34-21 after the first period, up by 72-33 at the half. Having the roster in cruise control allowed Head Coach Micah Nori to experiment with lineups and extended run for reserve players. Damian Lillard did not suit up in this game. None of the starters (and few of the bench
players) topped 20 minutes. Scoot Henderson and Toumani Camara led all scorers for the Blazers with 14 points each.
There’s not too much to glean from a preseason mismatch against non-NBA opponents, but here are a few observations.
Hopefuls
No players have been drafted above their production farther than Scoot Henderson and Yang Hansen. Both looked good in this game.
Henderson hit 4 of 5 three-point shots. His defense looked good too, but quality of opponent renders the point moot.
Hansen shot an efficient 6-8 from the field with 4 assists and only 2 turnovers. It feels like his offensive positioning has improved. Jury’s still out on the defense.
Still, you can only do what you can do in each contest. Both players hope to move upward in the rotation this season. Check this game off of the to-do list for each.
Screens and Close-Outs
Portland’s main players looked fine on defense. That’s to be expected. Many of them specialize in that department and they outclassed their counterparts.
Once the second unit got in, things changed. Take it with a grain of salt, but I am mildly concerned about Portland’s point-of-attack defense on screens. The opponents were able to get free pretty easily off of the initial pick, causing defenders to either overplay or help. One pass to the perimeter left an open three with little to no close-out. Against the Lions, who cares? But NBA opponents will carve up Portland with that kind of time and space. Just keep a watch on the matter. If the defense doesn’t keep integrity on the most basic play in the books, that would be notable.
Announcers
My feed cut out the audio from Travis Demers and the broadcast crew through large parts of this game. It wasn’t a fatal thing. The action wasn’t exactly hard to follow. But it did underline how crucial interpretation of the action is to the viewer’s understanding, enjoyment, and engagement with the product.
Sure, the silence (except for P.A. announcer Mark Mason and muted crowd noise for a Monday afternoon game) was eerie. But that isn’t the point. Without context, without cheering for a good play, without the feeling that somebody is in the room watching the game unfold alongside you, much of the emotion drains out of the experience.
There’s been plenty of transition in Portland’s play-by-play position this summer. There’s a temptation to say, “Let’s just get somebody in there,” or, “Let’s just simulcast!” Getting that position right is more important than you think. The option to mute the TV is always open, but when sneaker-squeaking and whistles are all you hear, ever, you realize what a lonely experience that is.
Up Next
Boxscore
The Blazers now travel to Sacramento to face the Kings tomorrow night at 7:00 PM, Pacific.
