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    PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson laughed to keep from crying this season.

    Henderson missed the first 51 games of the season with a torn left hamstring, the latest setback in what’s been a roller-coaster career for the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

    But now that Henderson is back on the court healthy and playing well lately as a starter, he is all smiles as the Blazers attempt to advance out of the play-in tournament and make the playoffs for the first time in his career.

    “I never felt bad for myself,” Henderson told Andscape on April 10. “Even when [the injury] happened, I’m like, ‘I ain’t going to feel bad for myself.’ I just started laughing. I’m like, ‘All right. I see what’s happening. I see what the man above wants me to go through.’ I accepted it right when it happened. I’m into a different mode now. I’m at the recovery mode. I’m getting back healthy. …

    “Honestly, I’ve been through so many ups and downs in my basketball and life in general that the only way you can kind of get over something is you don’t try to cry about it or whine about it. You can think about it and be sad for a little second, but at the end of the day, nobody cares. And that’s how I felt. Nobody cares gives a [expletive]. I just went out there and I was like, ‘I don’t care either. I’m going to bust my a–, work hard. I come back as fast as I can.’”

    Scoot Henderson dribbles the ball.
    Scoot Henderson on dealing with injuries: “Honestly, I’ve been through so many ups and downs in my basketball and life in general that the only way you can kind of get over something is you don’t try to cry about it or whine about it.”

    Jaden Coleman/NBAE via Getty Images

    If they earn a playoff berth, Henderson and the Blazers would be one of the surprise teams of the NBA season.

    The Blazers are the Western Conference’s eighth seed after finishing the regular season 42-40. Portland will visit the seventh-seed Phoenix Suns (45-37) on Tuesday in a play-in tournament game, with the winner securing the West’s seventh seed. The loser will get a second opportunity to make the playoff field, hosting the winner of Wednesday’s play-in game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors for the West’s eighth seed.

    In the play-in tournament and possibly the playoffs, Henderson, his NBA All-Star teammate Deni Avdija and the Blazers will finally be viewed on a bigger stage after being featured on national TV just six times this season. Henderson said the Blazers have a “win mentality” entering the postseason.

    “We’re just trying to get a cycle of playing good before the play-ins and hopefully in the playoffs,” Henderson said. “So, I feel great about it. I love these games.”

    The former G League Ignite star missed roughly three weeks early in his rookie season, which the Trail Blazers finished 21-61. He made strides in his second season, shooting 41.9% from the field after a 38.5% mark as a rookie. But despite a career-high 39 points against the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 14, 2025, his scoring average dropped from 14.1 points per game to 12.7. Portland finished 36-46, three games out of the play-in tournament.

    An offseason hamstring injury kept Henderson out of games this season until Feb. 6, and the 6-foot-3, 207-pound guard credited his faith and family for getting him through his injury hurdle.

    “I got through it from the man above and my family supporting me and keeping my dream alive knowing my goal is to continue to try to dominate,” Henderson said. “That just made me keep going every day. It wasn’t easy having treatment and all the [physical therapy]. But I know that was going to help me in the long run, so I did it.”

    Henderson said he wasn’t alone going through it, as Blazers star Damian Lillard was rehabbing at the same time. The nine-time NBA All-Star is still recovering from a torn Achilles tendon from last year.

    While the rehab time with Lillard was invaluable, Henderson was pained by being away from the game.

    “Honestly, what I missed most was traveling with the guys,” Henderson said. “I love this game so much. And I know a lot of people around the league that don’t really love it but just are good at it. But I love it. [It’s great] just to get back on the floor again. There were days where I couldn’t even touch the ball, go to the gym. They would have to kick me out of here. I would be shooting free throws every day.”

    Scoot Henderson dunks the ball.
    Scoot Henderson finished the regular season averaging 14.2 points, 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game in 30 games.

    Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

    Henderson finished this season averaging 14.2 points, 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game in 30 games. His highlight was scoring a season-high 28 points against the Indiana Pacers on March 8. He has been a spark for Portland in April, averaging 15.2 points, 3.0 assists and 1.8 steals in five games this month.

    While Henderson still lives by his motto of O.D.D. — Overly Determined to Dominate — he acknowledged he still has a lot of room to grow. Henderson and the Blazers have been yearning for success and respect for years.

    A playoff berth will certainly make a statement.

    “I’m still working towards what I expected for myself, for sure,” Henderson said. “This is another stage, a bigger stage to play on.”

    The post Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson overcomes injuries to arrive at NBA play-in tournament appeared first on Andscape.

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