Another Strong Donovan Clingan Performance Powers Trail Blazers' First Summer League Win
Clingan showed playmaking prowess in addition to making two big defensive plays to seal a win over Philadelphia.
📍 LAS VEGAS — Donovan Clingan’s Summer League debut on Saturday showed how easily the Trail Blazers’ No. 7 overall pick’s rim protection could potentially translate from UConn to the NBA.
Monday’s follow-up was even better. And this time, he was even willing to give himself a little credit.
“I feel like I protected the rim at a high level,” Clingan said after the Blazers’ 97-95 win over Philadelphia in a Thomas and Mack Center that was packed to see Bronny James immediately following this game. “A couple less illegal screens today. I had one that I knew was illegal. But I had less fouls today. Made good reads on the offensive end. I made a couple good passes, finding open teammates cutting to the basket.”
Looking at the stat sheet, Clingan’s scoring numbers still don’t jump off the page. He shot 4-for-11 from the field and finished with eight points. But he did everything else well, and made two big defensive plays in the closing minutes, both times getting the best of the Sixers’ highest-profile rookie, former Duke star Jared McCain.
The Sixers led 94-93 with 17 seconds left in regulation and Clingan blocked midrange jump shot attempt from McCain. Bryce McGowens hit two free throws at the other end to give Portland the lead, and then Clingan made an even bigger play.
Blazers Summer League coach Jonah Herscu sent the 7-foot-2 Clingan to guard the 6-foot-2 McCain’s inbound attempt, and Clingan forced a five-second violation to give the Blazers the ball back and seal the win.
“We’ve been working on that in practice at camp all last week, just working on those late-game situations,” Clingan said. “I feel like the coaches never called it, even though I felt like I [forced] a couple of five-second violations. But I got one today when it mattered.”
Being the biggest guy on the floor by a wide margin can come in handy.
“Once we saw that he was going to be on the ball, we knew the inbounder was going to have a tough time getting the ball in,” Justin Minaya said. “It worked out perfectly.”
Minaya, who is having a strong Summer League in his own right, was one of the beneficiaries of something else Clingan showed for the first time in Summer League: his playmaking.
A sleepy first half quickly received a jolt of energy in the third quarter when Clingan and Sixers rookie center Adem Bona each dunked on one another on back-to-back possessions. Then, Clingan found Minaya for a dunk of his own.
“That was one of the first things I realized about Donovan when we started training camp for Summer League,” Minaya said. “He found me on a couple of backdoor cuts. You can tell at such a young age that his IQ is at a different level. I feel like I have a good connection with him right now.”
That play was the most impressive of Clingan’s five assists, but he found open teammates all game. It’s something teammates and coaches have praised since he got to Portland.
“That’s one of the biggest things people don’t realize, is that something I can do at a high level is make plays and pass the ball,” Clingan said. “I can see the plays before they happen and make certain reads on defenses.”
The offense is still growing, but Clingan’s defense was once again stellar.
“He was only credited for three blocks but it felt like he had more,” Herscu said. “He alters so many shots, and then he prohibits so many shots. He discourages them from taking shots. He’s really good at staying deep in the paint.”
There's a center in Denver who also has a knack for seeing plays develop before they happen.