3 Next-Day Takeaways From Blazers Preseason Win Over London Lions

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori after the game: “I think everybody had the right mindset, the right approach and played the right way.”

Apr 14, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson reacts against the Phoenix Suns in the first half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is very little to gather from the Portland Trail Blazers' 2-0 start to the NBA preseason. The stretch is not often a reliable barometer for how successful a team will be come April. Teams usually only play their best guys in the first half, or not at all. And even then, the product on the floor remains levels below a typical regular season game.

Especially when it is not even against NBA teams, like the Blazers did Monday afternoon, facing and stomping the London Lions. But even if the preseason does not serve as a crystal ball for team success, it does provide meager flashes of an individual players’ potential for the year or growth from the previous one. Here are some crumbs collected from Portland’s matchup against the Lions.

Scoot’s range

Apr 26, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson warms up before game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s unlikely Scoot Henderson ever becomes a true marksman from deep. He has, however, displayed improvement in his long-range shooting since entering the league. Tagged as a non-shooter since his G League days, Henderson’s managed a respectable 35 percent clip from three the last two years. 

Against the Lions, he appeared very comfortable. Shooting 4 of 5 from 3-point range, the former No. 3 overall pick looked fluid and confident, hitting jab steps to create space, shooting off screens or hitting a quick jab, one-dribble step-back over his defender. 

If there’s one thing most likely to translate from the preseason to regular season, it’s shooting. That’s all mechanics and composure. 

Overall 3-point shooting

Oct 7, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija shoots the ball over Golden State Warriors forward Dalen Terry during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Speaking of shooting, the Blazers compiled another decent performance from 3-point land. Though preseason wins and losses cannot be weighed too heavily, shooting percentages supply some, if little, insight.

After shooting 38.6 percent against the Golden State Warriors last week, Portland shot 16-for-34 (47.1 percent) on 3-pointers against the Lions. The spacing provided by Damian Lillard’s presence alone is in full demonstration here.

There’s no way Monday’s showing carries over to the regular season; if it did, the Blazers should be put on trial and charged with witchcraft. But it is promising, offering hope at least that the Blazers will be far removed from their 34.3 percent 3-point average from last year. Every team experiences peaks and valleys across many categories; if that's the peak for the Blazers, it should help balance out their averages over the course of the year.

Hansen time

Oct 7, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen is introduced in Moda Center before playing against the Golden State Warriors. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yang Hansen played the most of any Blazer against London, finishing with a 13-point, four-rebound and four-assist stat line in 21 minutes, shooting an efficient 6-for-8 from the field. He’s seen decent minutes in the two preseason matchups, registering 12 minutes against the Warriors. 

Playing more than Micah Potter and Branden Carlson on Monday and more than Carlson against the Warriors, it seems like Hansen might be establishing himself as a real cog in the frontcourt bench rotation. Take it with a grain of salt though, because the preseason is the perfect time to overplay a raw prospect, and Hansen’s popularity with the fanbase makes him an easy sub when the games don’t matter as much.

Whatever the case, head coach Micah Nori enjoys what he’s seeing. 

“The one thing he can do, he’s a hub, as far as he’s a very good passer," Nori said postgame against the Lions. "You see that, you see his touch. … I’m fine with Hansen. I think that he’s really competing. … I like the way he’s progressing.”