After lacking the final seven video games, Portland Path Blazers Coach Chauncey Billups thought rookie Donovan Clingan carried out effectively in his return from a knee harm Friday.
Clingan produced six factors, seven rebounds and two assists in a 118-116 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on the Moda Middle. He completed by capturing 3 of 6 from the sector in quarter-hour coming off the bench because the Path Blazers (8-17) misplaced their fifth straight sport.
The seventh decide gave the workforce a stable increase within the second unit. He related on just a few alley-oops with Scoot Henderson and Jerami Grant and helped management the glass throughout his time on the courtroom.
“I assumed he was good,” Billups mentioned. “He is just a little rusty on the market, however when he will get again on the market, you see the influence he has on the rim. Not simply defending the rim, but in addition rebounding the ball, so I assumed he was high-quality.”
Clingan suffered a grade 2 MCL sprain on November 23 towards the Houston Rockets. He was cleared to apply with the workforce on Tuesday and commenced ramping up his on-field work all through the week in anticipation of his return to the lineup Friday towards the Spurs.
The 7-footer was positioned on a 15-minute restriction by the workforce’s medical workers throughout the contest. He wasn’t positive how lengthy the restriction would final and admitted he did not transfer his toes in addition to he would have appreciated towards the Spurs’ frontcourt, however mentioned he felt high-quality afterwards.
“I really feel good,” Clingan mentioned. “I used to be actually wanting ahead to getting again on the sector and being with my guys. It was nice to be on the market tonight, competing and having enjoyable with the boys.”
Clingan is averaging 5.8 factors, 6.7 rebounds and a couple of.1 blocks on 52.4 % capturing from the sector in 18 video games with the Path Blazers. Regardless of lacking practically three weeks, Clingan is eighth within the NBA in whole blocks (37) and third amongst all rookies in rebounds.
The 20-year-old grew to become the primary participant since Ömer Aşik in November 2012 to go scoreless with at the least 19 rebounds in a sport towards the Rockets. He’s one in every of 10 gamers to file such a statistics linewhich incorporates Corridor of Famer Dennis Rodman, who made it six instances throughout his 14-year profession.
Clingan recorded at the least one block in his first 17 video games of the season, the fourth longest profession begin streak by a rookie in historical past. He handed Corridor of Famer Invoice Walton final month. for the longest sequence by a first-year participant in franchise historical past (15).
This text was initially revealed on Rookie Wire: Path Blazers: Chauncey Billups reacts to the return of Donovan Clingan
