The Portland Trail Blazers were already one of the hottest three-point shooting teams through two games of summer league play, but in their final game of preliminary play Tuesday afternoon, they did something Las Vegas is know for: They got even hotter. In their third game in four days, the Trail Blazers shot better than 50 percent from behind the arc on the way to defeating the San Antonio Spurs 95-89 to improve to 3-0 at the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League. “We’ve been going a really good job defensively and guys get out and run,” said assistant coach Jim Moran, who is handling head coaching duties for the Trail Blazers at summer league. “Wade gets guys the ball, gets them involved. When you’re touching the ball every other possession or every third possession, you stay engaged, you stay involved. And I think that our guys being on the defensive end knowing ‘Hey, if I get out and run, someone is going to find me and throw me the ball,’ that really helps guys get in the flow of the game. And when they do get the ball for an open shot, it’s not the first time they’re touching it. So the confidence is there and I think all our guys have been shooting it really well.”
NOTES: Wade Baldwin IV continued his stellar play in Las Vegas Tuesday afternoon, going 6-of-12 from the field for 16 points to go with nine assists, five steals and two rebounds in 30 minutes. Caleb Swanigan went just 2-of-10 from the field but managed to finish with 12 points to go along with nine rebounds, five assists, five turnovers and two steals in 27 minutes.
Zach Collins did not play in Tuesday's victory versus the Spurs due to a sprained right ankle. His status for Portland's first game of the summer league tournament is not yet known.
The Trail Blazers' matchup in the opening round of the tournament has yet to be determined. According to the schedule, first round games will take place on both Wednesday and Thursday.