Scoot Henderson Shines Despite Blazers' Tough Loss to Wolves

Promising third-year guard shows growth despite Portland's defeat

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Despite the Portland Trail Blazers' 133-109 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, promising young guard Scoot Henderson stood out with an 18-point, efficient performance in 19 minutes of play. Henderson's progress, including improved defense and chemistry with new backcourt mate Jrue Holiday, signals a positive trajectory for the 23-year-old as he continues to develop in his third NBA season.

Why it matters

As the Blazers rebuild around Henderson, who was drafted 3rd overall in 2023, his continued growth and development is crucial to the team's long-term success and competitiveness in the Western Conference. Henderson's performance in this game, despite the lopsided loss, demonstrates his upward trajectory and the Blazers' hope that he can become a cornerstone player for the franchise.

The details

Henderson was one of the few Blazers players to finish with a relatively favorable plus/minus of -1, tying for the team best. This represents a significant improvement from his historically poor -58 rating during his challenging rookie season. Henderson also contributed 18 points on efficient shooting, along with 4 rebounds and 2 assists in just 19 minutes of play. However, he did struggle with 5 turnovers, and the team as a whole had more turnovers (25) than assists (23) in the loss.

  • The Portland Trail Blazers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-109 on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Scoot Henderson

A 23-year-old guard who was drafted 3rd overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023 and is in his third NBA season.

Jrue Holiday

A veteran guard who joined the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason and has been working to develop chemistry with Scoot Henderson in the team's backcourt.

Deni Avdija

A forward who also joined the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason, raising questions about Scoot Henderson's role and offensive rotation.

Robert Williams III

A Blazers player who shared the team's best plus/minus of -1 with Scoot Henderson in the loss to the Timberwolves.

Cody Williams

A Utah Jazz player who previously held the record for the worst plus/minus in a season at -60, until Scoot Henderson's rookie season.

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What’s next

As Henderson continues to refine his skills and gain confidence, his development will likely be the cornerstone of Portland's growth moving forward, reinforcing the team's ambitions in a competitive Western Conference.

The takeaway

Despite the lopsided loss, Scoot Henderson's performance in this game demonstrates his upward trajectory and the Blazers' hope that he can become a cornerstone player for the franchise as they rebuild around him.