The big news out of Portland Trail Blazers practice on Tuesday: Jrue Holiday, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan will form Portland’s starting lineup for Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I feel like we have seven starters on this team, I really do,” head coach Chauncey Billups told reporters in Tualatin. “Those five, Jerami [Grant] and Scoot [Henderson]. For the first year, I had some really, really tough decisions to make, and I like that. They came in and did great. Jerami was incredible in camp, along with the other guys. I just feel like right now this is kinda how we need to go.”
Along with Billups, Tuesday’s media availability session included interviews with players Matisse Thybulle, Deni Avdija and new two-way contract signee Javonte Cooke. Here are four more quick hitters from the interviews.