ORLANDO -- Damian Lillard, unable to get any of his first six three-point attempts to go down, opted to drive to the rim with the Trail Blazers leading the Magic 53-51 with just over a minute to play in the first half. He drew three defenders in the process, as he often does these days, so he was faced with the proposition of trying to thread an attempt between the outstretched arms of Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz and Mo Wagner.
Lillard is talented enough to make those low-percentage propositions pay off, and some times, considering the options available with a number of key contributors sidelined due to injury, forcing up an attempt in that situation is at least defensible, if not outright correct.
But rather than trying to go around three defenders, he kicked the ball out to one of his newer teammates, Cam Reddish, who was ready to receive the catch-and-shoot opportunity. Reddish raised up in front of Portland’s bench and hit the wide-open attempt from the corner in a game Portland would ultimately go on to win 122-119 Sunday night in Orlando.
It’s the kind of play the Trail Blazers front office envisioned when they acquired the 6-7 guard/forward, along with a lottery-protected first round pick, from the Knicks at the 2023 trade deadline, even if they didn’t expect he’d be thrust into as large of a role as he has assumed recently due to Anfernee Simons being sidelined with a right ankle sprain.
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“I think (Reddish) is making a lot of progress,” said Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. “We brought him on and he hadn’t played since December. When you don’t play it don’t matter how much working out you can do, you’re really not going to be in game shape. He’s worked himself back into some pretty good condition.
"And then just by way of the freedom that we’ve kind of given him, I think sometimes he’s been a little surprised with it, but also, it allows you to kind of tap into who you are and what you are, he didn’t have that type of freedom. So I think he’s learning more and more about what he can do as well with us, he’s learning how we want things to be done.”
Reddish, now on his third team after being selected with the 10th overall pick of the 2019 Draft, is still working himself back into game shape after not seeing any playing time in his final two months with the Knicks and is familiarizing himself with the playbook and his new teammates on the fly. But Reddish seems to make progress with every passing game, as he did Sunday night in Orlando, finishing with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 shooting from three, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 37 minutes.
“It’s a blessing, it’s been a long time coming,” said Reddish. “I’m still trying to get fully acclimated and fully comfortable. The more I play the better shape I’ll get into. I think I’m in good shape now, but game shape and workout shape is completely different. It’s a grind and you’ve got to love the grind.”
Reddish is averaging 14.3 points on 48 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent shooting from three, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in his first nine games with the Trail Blazers, showing himself to be both an effective scorer and a burgeoning playmaker, something Portland desperately needs with teams throwing double, triple and sometimes quadruple teams at Lillard, a trend that has increased with Simons’ absence.
“Especially with Ant being out, (Reddish) gives us another ball handler, somebody who is comfortable with the ball in his hands, initiating the offense,” said Lillard, who posted 41 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block in Sunday’s victory. “And if it breaks down, he’s got the natural ability to put it on the floor and create.
“He’s a big-time high school player, big-time college player and in the NBA you’ve just got to get the opportunity. You’ve got to get opportunity, you need people to put their hands around you and show trust and show faith in you. When a guy is that talented I think it starts to shine through when they get comfortable and they get support and opportunity. I think the more that he’s out there getting comfortable, understanding what we try to do and he gets his legs under him, getting his wind under him, I think that talent and that ability will continue to shine through.”
For Reddish, the opportunity to play through mistakes while also attempting to expand his skillset has been an adjustment, albeit a very welcomed one. Having been there himself, Billups understands the value in having a coach who trusts his players to play freely, and he’s made a point of giving Reddish that kind of support.
He’s started Reddish in eight of his first nine games with the Blazers, and has not only allowed, but encouraged him to try things that might have gotten him benched in his previous stops.
“I’m not used to it, so I’m still trying to figure that out, too,” said Reddish of having a room or error playing under Billups. “That’s how I was in high school, I was free, wasn’t thinking too much and when I’m not thinking, that’s when I play my best, when I’m zoned into the game. They’re really giving me an opportunity, I couldn’t be more appreciative. I thank God every time I wake up, it’s a blessing man. You never know when you’ll get a chance like this so I’m trying to take full advantage and help this team win.”
Even though the Blazers would be much better off with their full compliment of players, being as shorthanded as they have been as of late has given Reddish the kind of minutes young players need in order to improve. He’s helped the Trail Blazers do just enough to stay within a game or two of making the play-in tournament, and in the event that players like Simons and Nurkic are able to return sooner rather than later, the crash course Reddish has endured in his first few weeks as a Trail Blazer could pay off, even in a reduced role.
“He’s doing well, I think he adds so much to our team on both sides of the floor, especially now with Ant being out, Nurk being out,” said Billiups. “We need somebody to really help Dame and Jerami with some of the scoring and playmaking, I think he’s done a really good job with that.
"Some of our things he’s kind of learning on the fly, playing him like backup point in some situations, so I’m like, coaching him in live time. It’s not easy but he’s doing a good job. I’ve been proud of him.”