The Trail Blazers finally got a full look at the Summer League team they thought they were bringing to Las Vegas, and it produced their first win of the trip: a 111-84 rout of the Timberwolves on Monday at Thomas & Mack Center.
Yang Hansen, back after sitting out Sunday’s overtime loss to Orlando with an illness, was the difference. The second-year center finished with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, 10 rebounds and five assists, missing one shot all night while running the offense through the high post. It was his best game of the summer, and it changed the shape of Portland’s offense — the ball moved through him instead of around him, and the open threes that never came in the losses to Phoenix and Orlando came in bunches.
Chris Youngblood led all scorers with 20 points, and the game was functionally over by the fourth quarter. After blowing a 16-point lead against the Suns and running out of bodies in overtime against the Magic, Portland closed this one out without drama — a small thing in July, but closing was the specific failure in both losses.
Minnesota’s night was rough beyond the score. The Wolves were again without Joan Beringer, held out a second straight game with back tightness after his 18-point, 12-rebound debut against New Orleans, and nobody filled the interior void he left. Portland is now 1-2 in Vegas; Minnesota fell to the bottom of the intra-division Summer League ledger after also losing to Denver on Saturday.
For fantasy purposes, Yang Hansen’s line is the takeaway. A center who rebounds, protects the paint and hands out five assists has standalone value in category leagues if the minutes come, and Monday was the clearest evidence yet that Portland wants to feature him in year two. Dynasty managers holding him through a quiet rookie season should feel better than they did a week ago. Beringer’s back is the other situation dynasty managers should keep an eye on; Minnesota has not put a timeline on his return.
