1/22 | G47: Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder - 7PM CST

[ThunderBolt]

It's weird to think how Ferg was actively hurting the team when he was on the floor at the start of the season, but I wonder if he gets the confidence to play like he is currently playing if he had been benched for Abrines back when he was available. Abrines was the better option at the time, but as things turned out this season, it was providence that TFerg got the reps with the starters with Abrines being out unexpectedly for so long and Ferg taking a jump as a player. Funny how things work out sometimes.

Think he's our best sophomore since...Harden

Still want to see if he can play that well under pressure (playoffs)

If he can still improve a bit it will be huge for the franchise to have an impact player on a rookie contract.

Ferguson ceiling is far higher than Ross. Not sure he’s Butler (sorry Kizz) but something like a bit smaller but far more skilled and athletic Covington maybe

A more skilled and athletic RoCo is a REALLY good player. That's better than Khris Middleton. Heck I would take it.

this one didnt disappoint either... good game guys

Good game

Agreed but it’s way too early to have any idea what Ferguson’s ceiling is. He was like Diallo on defense last year and now he’s one of our best defenders. He did that in one year. Now he’s hitting his threes. He’s got plenty of time to develop his offensive game.

[slick_watts]

ferguson making threes is great and all but 'more athletic covington'? ceiling far higher than ross? he's still just an ok defensive player at best and a low usage three point specialist on offense. he's better than he was last year, which is great. i hope he continues to improve. continuing to make threes at 38-39% would be enough to make me happy.

[CROklahoma]

Ferguson is already equivalent, or I'd say more impactful player than Ross is now, in his, 5th-6th year in NBA ?

Comparing him to Ross is really undervalue to TFerg.
He is doing immense job on defense in his 2nd year, and is hitting shots all over the floor, starting to cut, dribble, and even make p&r plays.

He is basicly Dre 2.0 in making.
Sample size - this season.

He could be that late perimeter pick for Presti like SAS George, IND Leonard, CHI Butler.

He is Presti's Siakam.

What an excellent stretch he is in.
LAL fan on my job was astonished with what he was doing on the court today against Blazers.

Keep up the good work Ferg, and stay healthy !

[Bergmaniac]

On offense Ross is much better than Ferguson even if Ferguson maintains good efficiency from 3 the rest of the season. Ross can create for himself, he shoots off the dribble really well, he's way better at making tough shots. Ferguson has been shooting well lately, but pretty much all of his shots are open or wide open looks created by all the attention Westbrook and George draw. So let's not get carried away.

[ThunderBolt]

Jusuf Nurkic is making $11 million dollars this year. Let that sink in.

[slick_watts]

Jusuf Nurkic is making $11 million dollars this year. Let that sink in.

portland got lucky. he was bad last year.

but this is why you don't do extensions that are not ridiculously team favorable. waiting for rfa would have saved sam money on adams and we all knew that at the time.

[ThunderBolt]

Jusuf Nurkic is making $11 million dollars this year. Let that sink in.

portland got lucky. he was bad last year.

but this is why you don't do extensions that are not ridiculously team favorable. waiting for rfa would have saved sam money on adams and we all knew that at the time.

Yea some luck was involved but its not all luck. We could say Houston was lucky with Capella too. Sam signing Oladipo and Adams was viewed as a mistake by many at the time. Although if we had waited until the offseason, we wouldn't have been able to trade for George. I can't help but wonder what Adams would have gotten if we had waited to sign him until after the season. He was mostly viewed as a disappointment for that year after receiving the extension.

[RalphSampsonJr]

Jusuf Nurkic is making $11 million dollars this year. Let that sink in.

portland got lucky. he was bad last year.

but this is why you don't do extensions that are not ridiculously team favorable. waiting for rfa would have saved sam money on adams and we all knew that at the time.

Yea some luck was involved but its not all luck. We could say Houston was lucky with Capella too. Sam signing Oladipo and Adams was viewed as a mistake by many at the time. Although if we had waited until the offseason, we wouldn't have been able to trade for George. I can't help but wonder what Adams would have gotten if we had waited to sign him until after the season. He was mostly viewed as a disappointment for that year after receiving the extension.

Yea people forget that he had just come off that Dubs series where he showed he can be a difference maker at the top tier of the NBA. Thats why he got paid.

If Sam hadnt extended him he would of stil got a 15+ mil deal. Plus it was that same year where everyone thought the cap was going up. Thats why guys like mosgov and crabb got crazy money too.

There were definitely unlucky factors that led to that contract. Well.. unlucky for Sam. Not for Adams.
Sams only real mistake was making it the full 4 year extention. Its ok to over pay for a year or two but he will be making almost 30 mil soon! Not ideal

[1bigfan13]

ferguson making threes is great and all but 'more athletic covington'? ceiling far higher than ross? he's still just an ok defensive player at best and a low usage three point specialist on offense. he's better than he was last year, which is great. i hope he continues to improve. continuing to make threes at 38-39% would be enough to make me happy.

As a few others have pointed out, I'd like to see him improve his ball handling so that he can be more of a threat off the dribble.

He has the natural athleticism to make plays at the rim. Just gotta refine the skills a bit to become more of an overall threat. Right now he's simply a floor spacing up and coming 3 & D guy. I think he has potential to offer more.

[ThunderBolt]

Russ and Dame have had a few little dustsups in the past but it seems like they are cool with each other. I think Nurkic thought they were having words and Dame told him it was all good. What a dunk by Russ, though.

Watch on YouTube

[Pillendreher]

Russ and Dame have had a few little dustsups in the past but it seems like they are cool with each other. I think Nurkic thought they were having words and Dame told him it was all good. What a dunk by Russ, though.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Twitter

[ThunderBolt]

Russ and Dame have had a few little dustsups in the past but it seems like they are cool with each other. I think Nurkic thought they were having words and Dame told him it was all good. What a dunk by Russ, though.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Twitter

Hmm. Well the butt slaps at the end of the video are a little akward then.

[thedoppelganger]

Russ and Dame have had a few little dustsups in the past but it seems like they are cool with each other. I think Nurkic thought they were having words and Dame told him it was all good. What a dunk by Russ, though.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Twitter

Hmm. Well the butt slaps at the end of the video are a little akward then.

Portland’s writer for the Athletic got some good quotes from Dame on this. Basically they had never really talked to each other on the court before, they had some exchanges last night that seemed heated but were in good fun/out of respect. Russ told him as much, even if he’d never admit it to the media.