Trail Blazers Over/Under: Offseason Predictions for Portland’s 2025-26 Season
In today’s show, Brandon Sprag joins the program and we play a little game over underlines predicting the Portland Trailblazers season. Welcome to Locked on Blazers. Let’s get into it. You are Locked on Trailblazers, your daily Portland Trailblazers podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. What’s up world? It’s your pass first point guard and trailblazers reporter Mike Richmond. You are listening to another episode of Locked on Blazers, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, available wherever you get podcast and also on YouTube. Uh, thanks for making the show your first listen. Coming at you three days a week in August through the first couple weeks of September. Then we’ll be back to five shows a week, Monday through Friday. And joining us for the third straight program. If you’ve missed any of the first two, check your feed wherever you are viewing this or listening to this one. Brandon Sprag of 1051, the fan in Portland. And today, we’re going to play a little game. Some would call it spragging the line, but I wouldn’t because I don’t want to steal anybody’s thunder. But joining me, someone who enjoys lines and spragging, Brandon Sprag. Um, you ready to play a little game? You just made a reference that I’m in like I did not like that verb. You did not like that verb at all. Spregging. You did not like that verb. That was did not like that at all. No, let’s do it. Okay. My bad. Okay. Over under. Over under. Yeah. 42.5 starts for Scoot Henderson. He started 32 games in year one. He started freaking 10 games in year two. I can’t believe it. 42 and a half starts over under. So very very quickly, can I ask you a question? Of course. Sickos committee question here. Who starts a higher percentage of their games in year three for their team? Anthony Richardson and the Colts or Scoot Henderson and the Blazers. Oh gosh. Okay. Well, so what is So that would be like nine games for Anthony Richardson to get to 42 and a half roughly if you’re talking. And he started 11 last year. Oh, I’m gonna go Scoot Henderson. I’ll go I’ll go Sterling. Scoot Henderson. Okay, over under 42 and a half. I’m gonna go over because I do think it’s going to be Scoot and Drew and I think Shay is the odd man out. I think if you bench Scoot just look to trade him. Agreed. Like there is no point in doing that. It makes no sense to me. I’m not Chanty Bilips, okay? I’m not Mr. Big Shot. I just wouldn’t understand the the the math there. That decision would not make any sense to me. And at that point, I’m like, just go sell him on a high point that like he’s the developmental guy that needs the right location and we haven’t provided it for him. Give us some stuff. Like if that happens, trade him. Uh so I will take the over 42 and a half because I think it’s going to be him. Yeah, I’m going to I would go the over two for that same logic. If they don’t start him in year three, how can you have if you drafted if you drafted him third overall and you never commit to him, you do not deserve to have the job because you are unable to commit to the guy. This is the runway to do it. There’s nothing in his way right now. There might be stuff in his way in the future. This is the time to do it. I’m banging the desk here. A couple Well, yeah. Thank you for doing that for both of us. Um, couple of crazy things to know is he only started 10 games last year. Yeah, it’s nuts. He only he only played in 66. So like he has a little bit of a health thing that you’re like, is that going to go away? Yeah. And the crazy the craziest stat of all the crazy stats last year with him, he played less minutes per game. I know it’s it’s it doesn’t you can’t tell me that. I thought the way that they Yeah, I thought the way that they approached year two of Scoot Henderson and he wasn’t very good to begin the season. I I I fully But but like but when you draft a guy high in some ways you ride out the pain until you know it’s it and even beyond knowing it’s too late. And it wasn’t like when he got going in the middle of the season that he was bad, right? Like he kind of figured it out during a stretch and they still just never had space for him because they never committed to him. So, if they don’t do it this season, I was already pretty riled up about it last year. I’m going to I’ll be more I’ll be significantly more riled. If you’re looking for riled, I’ll be more riled. Well, I told somebody that I know, they were like, “Well, you know, if he can’t if he can’t start, he can’t start.” And I’m like, “No, you start the number three pick. You see what he is and you write out the lumps and if he’s bad, then you know it.” And he goes, “He he deserves Yeah. He goes, James Wiseman.” And I go, “We don’t have Steph Curry. We don’t have Steph Curry. Okay. It’s not the same thing. Agreed. It it on a good team. I firmly believe that young players should earn their minutes. Firmly believe it. Dur during the um the golden age when the Blazers won uh three playoff series over six seasons with Damen Lillard. Um I firmly believe that young players should earn their minutes. Jake Layman and Allen Crab and all those guys. Pat Conson develop behind the scenes. Like that’s your job because this team is competitive. on bad teams saying like pretending that it’s like high school, you know, that it’s like the Mount Hood Conference or whatever nonsense like this isn’t that you this doesn’t matter. Like you’re just you can lose a bunch because it’s a different thing. Like um this isn’t Metro League basketball. This is not this great meritocracy of like of like making the seniors earn their stripes against the sophomores. This is just like you committed a bunch of money to him and a bunch of fin like a bunch of organizational capital by drafting him third overall. Yes. Let him let him start. Let him start. He hits the under on this. I’m going nuts. Um 42 combined starts his first two seasons with the Trailblazers. 42 42 combined starts. Okay, I have an overunder and then I’m going to scrap it and do another over overunder. So, first one quickly. 36% three-point field goal percentage for Shaden Sharp. Last year, according to Clean and Glass, the league average was 36 and a half. For his career, Shaden Sharp is a 33% shooter. He shot 36% in year 1, 33 in year two, and 31 in year three. Um, over under 36 and a half% from the three-point line for Sharp. I’m going under, unfortunately. It’s not that he’s not capable. I just You’re 31 and you’re three. That’s a bad sign. I I almost wonder if he gets a little bit of the yips if he starts missing immediately. Chris Murray’s dealt with that a little bit, right? You start missing. It’s like getting in your head a little bit. I’m gonna I’m gonna fade the under. He could be at 36 and I still hit it. So, I’m going to I’m going to take the under. Yeah, I I think I would lean under on this, but um I wouldn’t I I bet he’ll be better than 31. Uh but I would I would make me happy. Yeah, 30 I would bet at 30 35ish 34ish. Uh he’s just going to take a lot of off the dribble threes and he’s not very good at those. Um, so like and he’s he’s going to have the ball in his hands and not a ton, but he he they will give him some creation opportunities and um we’ll see what that happens with him. But I think it’s more important. I mentioned this to you before, the secondary stuff for me, the the three-point shooting is a floor skill for Shaden Sharp. His floor will be determined about his three-point shooting. How good is Shaden Sharp? Well, if he shoots 36% from three, his floor is pretty high. He’s going to be a very good offensive player. But his ceiling to me is about secondary stuff. So this overunder is about secondary stuff. Three and a half assists for Shaden Sharp. His career is at 2.1. He’s averaged 1.2, 2.9, and 2.8 in his three seasons. So, it’ be a relatively significant jump. Um, where you at? Over under, three and a half assists for Shaden Sharp. Under too high. Three and a half is too high. I think it’s like a 3.2 at best. I think he can get the ball to guys in certain spots, but I don’t know if he’s gonna fully be a zebra who changes his stripes that way. So, I’m gonna take the under three and a half. Yeah, I’m gonna go under two because he’s the best scorer. He can’t pass it to himself. They need him to score. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, okay. I have a I have an excellent excellent Donovan Cllingon overunder, but I’m going to share it with you on the other side of the break. Join us there because we’re talking minutes and Donovan Clling and everyone’s favorite topic. First, I want to tell you that today’s show is brought to you by Game Time. Have you ever decided last minute you want to head to a ball game with friends and family? Maybe it’s game day. 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Ysef Nerkach averaged 27.0 in six plus seasons in Portland. When Ysef Nerkich, a famously kind of slower, out of shape Giant person, played in a in a peak starting role for the Blazers, his average was 27 minutes per game. Last year, Donovan Klingan played under 20 for the season, 19.8. However, after the All-Star break, when he was the starting center, Donovan Klingan averaged, look it up, nerds, 25.3 minutes per game. After the All-Star break, he played 25 minutes a night. We already saw it, dorks. It ain’t a myth. Is he going to bump up with a starting role as the best center on the team probably because of Rob Williams health situation to 27.0 minutes per game? Do you Do you think they’re going to play Rob? No. Okay. If you tell me they don’t play Rob, go ahead. Well, they were just so conservative with him last year in his minutes. They didn’t play him on backtobacks. They never bumped him up over 20 minutes per game. There were nights where it was a not a rob night where he would be where he just like, “Hey, you’re not going to play.” And it would be a clinging night. Um he didn’t get a healthy scratch for a little bit, but he or healthy like DMP, but he there were nights where he was just like not available. It was a Klingan Knight and not a Rob Knight. I think they’re going to they’re going to do that again. I don’t think this is the year that they’re like, “Eh, let’s lean into Robert Williams because he’s a human like and dealing with all this like knee stuff, right?” Um I think Yeah, I I think he plays very sparingly if at all. Okay. Um thank you. I tend to agree. I’m going to say Donovan last year was not in shape. And I thought that was abundantly clear when we saw him. He looked um, for lack of a better term, a little doughy. I look, it’s just street clothes. And on the bench, I thought he looked a little better. I thought he looked a little thinner at summer league. Looks like he’s kind of taking some stuff seriously, which is great. It’s encouraging. I think he’s really going to take this year seriously. They just drafted a center. Like if I’m if that’s me, I’m rooting for that guy. I’m also like, yo, you’re not taking my spot. I am absolutely taking the over here. I I think it’s going to be in that 28 and a half range, which hits the over of 27. Uh if Nerkage can do it, Donovan Klingan should be able to at that age. I’m taking the over. Yeah, I would I’m gonna go the shyest over. 27.1. The shyest over on this, but I I think he hits it. I think he hits it. That’s great. Okay. Uh, over under 27. Over under 27 and a half for a season high in scoring for Yang Hansen. Uh, Don Vinclingan’s rookie high 21. Um, just because you love it. Nicolish’s 20 high. Uh, Nicholas’s rookie high 27. Alprren Shenun’s rookie high 27. So, I got that number from uh from his Turkish and uh and Serbian brothers out there. Um, okay. The Serbian Yang Hansen. That’s you know him. The Turkish Yang Hansen. You know him. Uh the the Yang Hansen of Connecticut. You know him. That’s Don Mcllingan. Uh what’s what is Hansen gonna what? Season high 27 and a half. Over under. Uh I’m going to take the under. I don’t think he will get there. Although I think he’ll have a couple games where blowouts happen, high level minutes. He gets to 23, he gets to 25. I do not see him getting over 27 and a half. Take the under. Yeah. Uh, I looked it up in like his fifth game. I don’t remember this, but Yao had 30. Um, he was just a different he was a different player. Yeah, he was a different player. I So, I didn’t use the Yao comparison because he was a different player. It was just um different player. So, yeah, I will go under, too. 20 28 is a bunch. 28 is a lot of points. Um, he could have a he could have a couple really good games and score 24. um over under 218 and four on the season averages for Danny Aia. 21 points, eight boards, four assists. After the All-Star game, he averaged 23.3, 9.7, and 5.2 across 20 games. Uh on the season, 177 and four, but 21, 8-4 overunder. He’d have to hit all the marks. Man, I’m torn here. He’s going to get more looks. It’s the rebounds for me. Is it going to be over eight? I 9.7 after the All-Star break. And he still plays with Jamie. I know, but his numbers, look, your season numbers are your season numbers. You can have good stretches, but what’ you say they were? 177 and 7.3 for the season. 7.3 rebounds for the season. So, it’ be a jump of what is that? 16% one. Yeah. Um, I’m going to take the over. I think I mean, one, they they have to have him score 22. Like, he has to be able to get five more points a game. And I think he’s going to shoot enough to get five more points a game. I’ll say he gets that extra board. And is it four? You said four even on assists. Four even. Yeah, I could see I could see 4.3 just barely nudging the over there. I’m gonna go the over because they if they don’t get it, they’re not going to be nearly as good as they’re they’re claiming they will be. Yeah, this was a push for me. I was like, I this is this is a good line because I don’t think he’ll I don’t think I think this is probably right where he’ll end up because I think he’s going to get the ball a lot and I think he’s going to be good and all these things. I’ll go under because I like maybe he I don’t know like maybe the assists aren’t there because of the shooting on the team and that he doesn’t have a great pick and roll big. Um maybe the rebounding is at seven. He does passive, you know. He does and and he’s and he pushes in transition and creates easy baskets for people that way. His his assists come in transition often. I’ll go this is like a shy under. I’ll say it’s like 217 and 3.8 or something. But I but I’m I’m 20. I I think the over is doable for him there. Did you see by the way I don’t want to interrupt the overunders here and spragging the line, but did you see that he is the Vegas favorite now to win most improved player? I did not. But he’s gonna get minutes and shots and all that like Yeah. And and uh I know like you said to value you you said in a show we we recorded a couple weeks ago or a couple days ago that uh you know you’re you’re a little worried about just like give Denny the ball and let him be your guy who operates every single time down the floor. I I think that there’s some truth to being concerned about that if you were trying to be a good basketball team, which they are. But like for me, I say I say find out what his limit is. Like um my opinion is like give Denny more than he can handle. Like absolutely max out his responsibilities on offense and figure out what the like true limit of like point Denny of Denny as a fulcrum is because like we probably know we probably saw it right like he probably played at his close to his peak level for at the in the All-Star game but like what if he does that for a full season? What if he is a 249 and five guy? Well then you’ve got to like you know then you it’s like figure it out. There’s no reason. The same thing with scoots. Like no reason to hold back now. Uh go go ahead and figure out what you got. Um okay. My only concern with that, Mike. My only concern with that and I I agree with you like see what he is everywhere. I just worry about like what is what is Scooter doing. So now Scooter’s just off ball corner guy like that. You know, he kind of made some comments about that last year. Like hey look, I’m not off ball corner. That’s not I don’t think that’s Scoot’s game. So, like one could benefit from it while I think the other kind of gets hurt from it. So, like I’m with you, but you got to be able to balance that out. That’s true. Okay. I would I You’re right. Not everything on his plate because I also I How can I How can I sit here and scream for every single player to be maximized and be given the ball and be free? There’s only one basketball. Um, but I don’t know. I can I can live in a fantasy land where everyone gets to maximize their usage or whatever. I don’t know. Um, okay. We got more overunders. Uh, Sprag brought me back a little bit to reality with a hot take. So, um, let’s let’s close the show with with more of those. Join us there, won’t you? [Music] Still a pass first point guard. Still Mike Richmond. Still chatting here with Brandon Sprag of 1051, the fan here in Portland. Overunder March 12th. It’s the last game of the season for Jeremy Grant. Will he play a game beyond March 12th? Jeremy Grant has not played a game in April since 2021. Jeremy Grant has not played a game after March 12th in each of his three seasons in Portland. He has never made it to March 13th. What my friend Josh Lloyd over at Locked on Fantasy Basketball calls the eyides of March. He calls Jeremy the eyides at 2JG. Um, famously where your good friend Julia Caesar was murdered. Um you just it’s tough to make it through that middle of March. Um overunder March 12th. I’m doing it. We’re making history this year. We’re going to get a March 14th 15th game. Jeremy Grant will play 19 minutes, baby. Let’s go. Let’s go. Shout out to my main man St. Patrick because guess what? You’ve got a gift coming for you. It’s Jeremy Grant. Um yeah, I’ll take it too. I think this is the year. I think this is the year. I I would take it a step further. Jeremy Grant plays one game in April. Jeremy Grant plays a game in April. Yeah. If he’s not hurt, they’re not aiming to tank. So, like, why would he not play? They’re not going to be like, “Hey, we need that calf to be a little more sore.” You know what I mean? Like, that doesn’t exist anymore. So, yeah, I I’ll take that, too. I’m with you 100%. All right. Uh over under 28.2 minutes per game for Drew Holiday. Drew Holiday has only played fewer than 30 minutes in two seasons of his career. His rookie season in 201617 um his rookie season and excuse me and in 2016 2017 with New Orleans. Those two years he played 30.6 minutes per game last season. For reference, in the 2324 season, Malcolm Brogden played 28.7 minutes per game. Does Drew eclipse that 28.2 overunder? Um, well, I’ll answer that if you answer me. Over under six and a half minutes per game for Blake Wesley. Blake Wesley’s not going to play. Why are we How this This is the most Blake Wesley we talked about on the show all year long. Blake damn right we did. So, noes taking the Blake? No, Blake Wesley is not going to play. I had somebody go, “Why did they sign him? They usually keep that spot open.” I go, “I don’t know, man. I’m not I feel like in the grand in the grand scheme of things, it’s it’s like he’s a really good athletic defender who can also dribble in an emergency. They needed another emergency guard because they have Damen Lillard is not going to play their spot. I would argue that the 15th spot is open because it belongs to Damen Lillard. They just happen to be paying the money. Um so they need they need they need bodies. Um but he’s not going to play. They did not bring Drew Holiday here to not play Drew Holiday because I got to watch the room. Uh, Drew Holiday will be playing 30 minutes a game or more over. Yeah, 28.2 seems right at about like where I would have guessed. Um, so 29.7. Book it. Oh wow. I’ll go under 29. I would go under 29. Um, I would say Well, you have wrong opinions. I Boy, how do I ever? I record them on the stupid podcast all the time. I had somebody tell me, “You man, you you you’re kind of sounding like Richmond.” And I went, “Rich Richmond must be pretty smart.” That’s not a compliment. You’re sounding like Richmond is not a compliment. Um, I took it as one. I will say uh I’ve had I had a a listener once tell me he said like, “You got to be careful with some of the things you say because like people listen to you.” And I was like, “Yeah, hell yeah.” That’s That’s exactly what I want. Like that’s the whole point. I was like that’s Yeah. I was like I was like, “Hey, counterpoint. Mission accomplished.” It was like cuz I was complaining about I was being a little negative about the team as I can be sometimes. So you got to be careful because cuz people listen to what you say. And I was like, “Nice, we did it. You fired Johny last year. I was shocked.” Uh I’ve tried but uh he got a lot better as a coach. I will say that. He got better a lot better as a coach. Um, and uh, the team’s for sale. Uh, Tummani Kamara, three-point attempts, 5.5 overunder. What did he average last year? I’m glad you asked. He took 2.5 and shot 33.7% as a rookie. And then last season, he jumped up to 4.6 on 37.5% from three. His he doubled his attempts. and he significantly increased his accuracy. He was an above average shooter on four and a half 4.6 attempts per game. Does he shoot an extra one? Uh, fun fact about Tammani Kamar. I went a whole radio segment where I looked at his numbers and I read his year one stats and I remember in the moment in my mind going, man, I I could have sweared a better year than this, but I kept going, it wasn’t that great. And then the break happened and I went, oh my god, I read last year’s stats and all the listeners like, yo, what are you doing? I was like, I’m sorry that happened. I’m human. Uh, they need him. They need him to score. He’s shooting six. And they need him to shoot. They need him to shoot. Yep. Yep. Yeah. I I actually should have put this at six and a half. The overunder should have been six and a half would have tested it. I take it the Yeah. Six and a like that’s a better line cuz five and a half is easy. He’s just He’s going to shoot that many. Six and a half is a better line. I’ll go over five and a half. Under six and a half. I think right around six threes a game for Tumani is about right. They need shooting and he’s in theory right now. Wait, hold on. Is Tammani Kamar the best shooter on the team? No. Who is Drew? Drew Holiday, I believe, shot 35% from three last year. He is like a career 36% three-point shooter. Is Drew Holiday. I’m taking Drew. No way. Like statistically, you’re right. It’s Tummani, but like you have you have one shot to make. Are you giving it to Drew or are you giving it to Tammani? Okay. To Drew a career 37% three-point shooter on 4.1 attempts per game. Um I think Drew cuz he could he can do a little off. Can he do more off the bounce? He can do a little off the bounce I guess than than Tumani. I I think Tomani is the best shooter on I think Tammani Tumani Kamar is the best shooter on the team. That’s interesting. He’s the best shooter on the team. Um okay, we got here. We made it to the end. Overunder 38.5 wins. 38 and a half wins. Over under FanDuel, um the official betting partner of the Locked on Podcast Network has them at 33 and a half. Um for my for my money, I’d probably push that number to 38. I I I think they’re I think they’re likely because they’re not going to quit because they’re not going to have they’re not they’re going to go for it all year because for them 10th is a reward. For other teams 10th is a curse. Um because they they’ll be incentivized to keep going when other teams might say we really don’t want to be there. I would push that number to 38. 38 and a half wins over under. I don’t have a lot of faith in New Orleans. I have no faith in Utah. I think Sacramento is going to end up selling and kind of blowing it up and restarting. And I think there’s going to be one or two more teams in there that are going to suffer injury. And I think what you just hit on is exactly why I’m taking the over. The NBA is a lot of who gives a damn on a Tuesday in January. And I think this team will. So I think they’re going to get to 39. I think the NBA in terms of wins is who still cares on a Tuesday in March. Well, that’s that’s very fair to say that. Yes, I think they’re going to care all year. I do. And I think one of the the reasons that the Blazers will win games is because they will play with a baseline level of intensity. I think that one of the reasons that um the Chanty did take a step forward as a coach last year is the second half of the season, they didn’t get cheated. They didn’t get punked. They got punked a couple times early in the year, right? And and and through the first part of his tenure, they were historically pumped. Um they once lost uh twice by 60 in one season. Um some 77 days apart, I recall. Um, and like it is they kind of figured out the level of intensity and the level of focus and professionalism they need to bring. And so they didn’t get punked in the second half of the season. They lost and they didn’t beat a lot of good teams, but they didn’t they very rarely got like your ass beat on a Tuesday, right? They didn’t it just it wasn’t like a bad night for them. Um, so yeah, I I I think my number right now I’m sitting on is 38 wins. So, I’m gonna go under for now 38 and a half, but I I think my personal number is 38. I think it’s a 38 win team. I wouldn’t be surprised if they win 40 games. I would be pretty shocked if they are like a 44 win team. I’d be really That That seems like a big big jump. Are you more surprised if they’re 43 or they’re 33? 43 for sure. 43 for sure. If if if Denny Aier is a disaster. Like 33 there’s no excuse. No, the excuse is that Denny Obia missed 17 games and they’re just like they just don’t have you know what I’m saying? Like they’re So you could talk about this team being deeper and more talented, but they’re so reliant on they’re so dependent on Denny being healthy and available. He’s going to be the engine all year for them for better or for worse. like that that they they are like a bad ankle sprain and the flu from having like a two and 11 stretch where Denny misses, you know, 3 weeks. I’m with you there. Like I guess I should have said like if there’s no massive assume Yeah. Assuming Assuming Good, right? Yeah. And also like if Denny Abia misses 18 games, that sucks. But you can’t tout how good you’re building and how good you feel and then you lose Denny Abia and your whole season crumbles into maybe being a low30 team. Well, I’m not a Reddit poster. I’m not talking about how the Blazers have better depth than the team that made the Western Conference Finals. Dude, Reddit kind of hates me now. Like, it kind of sucks. No, I will say this. I will say this. I’ve been pretty down on the Blazers off seasonason and then I do check I do check the r/RIP city and everyone is so high like ever so happy and I’m like am I the am I am I dumb? Am I am I dumb? Because this is what everyone’s like am I dumb? And the answer is we’re both probably wrong but it’s just like how levels like I’m probably too much of the people. Yeah, there’s like a there’s a gray period between like the people but also this is the time of year you should be excited about the team you like. So, go off. Go off. Post away. Yeah, this is it’s it’s uh it is now the second week of August as you’re listening to this. You’re listening to uh let me do some math. Actually, this is live. Uh August 11th’s program. Um so, yeah, like this is um yeah, like August 11th is a great time to be excited about the Portland Trailblazers. You should you should go right now and post on the on wherever you do your posting. talk about how the Blazers are actually the best team of the dame era. This is the This is it. Here’s your take. Th This is like This is the worst radio segment that you could possibly do and Dirt will not allow you to do it. But is this the most talented team Damon Lo has ever played on? No. [Laughter] This team’s not even three most talented teams. Damian, yeah, I don’t think it’s probably not in the top five, right? It’s not top. Yeah. No, he played he played 12 seasons here. I love I love the idea that this was uh the best possible place he could have gone on like not for basketball. Where where is the best place that Dame Lure could have gone for basketball? Cuz I I can I offer a hot take? Sure. Miami was the best place he could have gone for basketball the first time. It was the best place for Dame. For Dame it was the best place. Did he Okay, so like I guess the answer’s tough here. Like did he need to make a decision this year? And I understand why he chose Portland, right? There’s a personal connection there. But like if he’s taking a year off, you re-evaluate and then you are healthy and you you say, “What is the best place?” I I don’t think that answers Portland. Just for basketball. Just just for basketball. Yeah. I It’s h it uh hot take Houston. um for the year then he’s coming back when he’s healthy. Well, I would just say like if you would had to play Damen Lillard or Reed Shepard, I go Dame. That’s a fair point. That’s a very fair point. Uh assuming you don’t Anthony Simons, like Boston wouldn’t be bad because Tatum’s back, right? Yeah. Right. Like there there are places that would I guess the East that’s always like the It’s always better to go east. Yeah. Yeah, it’s always better who Yeah. Yeah. Maybe even like depending on what he’s willing to take and I know they just drafted a young uh guard, but like Minnesota. Minnesota does make sense. Minnesota does make sense for sure. Uh because it’s like would you rather play Dame or Rob Dillingham? Dame. Dame. Probably Dame. Right. Right. Exactly. Um that is going to do it for the spread week here. Um, go back if you if you are just listening to this one. Spreg was on the previous two shows, wherever you’re listening to this, go check it out. Uh, turn on your radio in the morning, 1051. You will hear Sprag’s beautiful, beautiful doulsa tones. Um, it’s football season in his world. But basketball will be back soon. Basketball will be back soon. Brandon, it is always a pleasure. Thank you so much for joining me. I always appreciate when you can have me on. I know I’m your third favorite on that radio program, so it feels like an honor to be even invited. And you know what? You’re right. It is football season for me on the radio show. I’d argue it’s football season for you, too, Mike. Tario basketball team sucks and Bellich checks there. Like Jordan Hudson, here we go. Oh my god. Listen, dear listeners. Dear listeners, come back for more shows later this week. I’m not even going to I will not even be addressing this this Bellich talk on this particular program. You can text me about it. Um, come back for more shows later this week. It’s what we do. Uh, three days a week for all of August. First couple weeks of September, they’ll be back five days a week. Uh, tell your friends about the program. Tell them they can get it wherever they get podcast. Tell them they can get it on YouTube as well. I appreciate you listening. I’ll talk to you soon.
Brandon Sprague of 105.1 The Fan in Portland joins the show to play a game, predicting the Trail Blazers 2025-26 season outlook by playing the over/unders for the year.
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16 Comments
¿Who's got the Summertime Blues?
~ Proud Member, Mike's Sickoes
Deni is playing
Sprague: It's a nickname derived from the Middle English word "sprag," meaning "brisk" or "energetic".
What are the odds Scoot and Shaedon start over Jrue? Non-existent?
This is what makes the Jrue trade so good, IMO – which is, Ant and Scoot couldn't play together and Jrue and Scoot should absolutely be able to play together. Shae is a bigger issue from my seat than Scoot. Shae has a HIGH ceiling, but he's going to be a 6th man this year, I think until someone gets hurt. BTW, go compare Kobe's first 3 seasons with Shae's – it is very interesting.
Interesting to ponder if Toumani is the best shooter on the team when he seems to also be pretty easily the best defender. You would think if a guy is your best defender and your best shooter he would be your best player too — I wonder if he’ll be that guy by the end of the season.
I have no doubt that the Blazers will try out several wacky lineups over training camp.
Deni, Scoot, Yang, and Jrue at the point are all on the table.
Deni in his third year put 29.5% from 3 and that was after training with a big name shooting coach, then in the summer, he took a different shooting coach and did 37.4% in his forth year. Sharpe can improve and be over 36% if he is committed to that with the right shooting coach (chemistry), But committed it's the key word.
Sprague is hilarious Richman deserves a raise
If they continue to play at pace and not get bogged down in 1/2 court sets, they can get more wins. But they will obviously have to do sets a lot too, so integrating Scoot as the man with the ball is going to be key for Scoot's confidence and should open up the floor if he can draw double-teams.
Sprauge is sensitive😂 that was nothing man.
Extend the game , extend the court length and width, raise the hoop , widen the key these people are giants
They didn’t play Jerome because they were tanking
Why doesn’t the same rules apply to shaedon as scoot?
you should try Over/Under for deni turnovers
It makes no sense to bench Shaedon either. Starting, he should be Portland's leading scorer. We need scoring!