It was the second 0-for performance of the preseason for Bojan Bogdanovic on Wednesday night. This one was especially ugly.
Against the Trail Blazers, Bogdanovic scored just one point on a technical free throw, while going 0 for 8 from the field, including 0 for 5 from the free-throw line. Perhaps more worryingly, he didn’t contribute a lot in other ways, either, ending with zero rebounds, only one assist, and no blocks or steals.
“I was off both offensively, defensively; no matter how many shots I miss, I’ve got to be more active,” Bogdanovic said. "I finished the game with [just one assist and zero rebounds]. I’ve got to do more things.”
In Bogdanovic’s defense, though, he has had better performances this preseason. Against Adelaide, he shot well, but the best game was against the New Orleans Pelicans, when he scored 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, and added eight rebounds as well.
Coach Quin Snyder isn’t too worried about Bogdanovic, or at least, not more than he is the rest of his squad.
“This is the first summer he hasn’t played the whole summer with his national team. And then he’s in a new environment. I thought the game was easier for him earlier in the preseason, and he’ll get back to being more instinctive and making reads,” Snyder said. “I’m not worried about Bojan. He’ll find his rhythm and like the rest of us, just keep investing in defending and let that be the way we value ourselves.”
Bogdanovic acknowledged he’s struggling, but also blames his lack of feel on rust from missing a summer of team basketball.
"I am kind of, a little bit, struggling right now,” he said. “I just lost the feel for the game because I didn’t have any games for five, six months. ... Playing more games, more minutes, I’ll be better.”
Ed Davis earns plaudits from Blazers
Before Ed Davis was a Utah Jazzman, he was a Brooklyn Net. And before that, he spent three seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. So Blazers coach Terry Stotts knows Davis well.
“Ed was beloved, or is beloved. He’s a great teammate. Hard worker. He had the respect of all his teammates, coaches, the fans loved him," Stotts said. "In some ways he was quiet but he had a great sense of humor. Everybody knew what a hard worker he was and he led by example.”
Davis was indeed pretty quiet on Wednesday, finishing with no points, taking no shots, but getting four rebounds in his 16 minutes.
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