Mar 27, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) dribbles against Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Blazers Star Scoot Henderson Downgraded Ahead of Matchup with Hawks

Originally posted on Portland Trail Blazers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Apr 1, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Portland Trail Blazers are doing their best to make a late run at the playoffs. Unfortunately for them, they may have run out of time to do so.

Portland has lost four straight games and now sits four and a half games behind the Sacramento Kings for the final play-in spot in the West. Their quest for tenth seems to have come up a bit short.

Still, while they have hope, they are going to play the hardest that they can. It's too late to tank now, so they have to try to win games at the end of the year and hope to make a miraculous run.

Injuries have been a big part of Portland's story this season, and they continue to be. Scoot Henderson has become the latest victim, suffering a head injury against the Kings.

Ahead of a critical game against the Hawks, Henderson has already been ruled out of that game due to being in concussion protocol.

Scoot Henderson (concussion protocol) ruled out for Tuesday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) March 31, 2025

The Blazers would love to have Henderson available for as many games as possible. Not only would he help them in their desperate push for a playoff spot, but giving him valuable reps as a young player would be nice.

Henderson is someone that they are still hoping can bud into a superstar player. He has missed time due to injuries this season and has also had some up-and-down play.

Still, Henderson has been much better as of late. He has shown flashes of being that superstar player that the Trail Blazers were hoping he would be when they drafted him third overall.

The Trail Blazers will have a lot of decisions to make this offseason. Perhaps one of them will be to clear some room for Henderson to become a starting guard on the team next season. They might want to invest more resources in developing him.

So far this year, Henderson has averaged 12.7 points, three rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. He is shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

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This article first appeared on Portland Trail Blazers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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