“Trail Blazers’ Shaedon Sharpe solid in season debut”

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe said he was nervous before his season debut during Thursday night’s 118-105 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

But that didn’t last long.

“Two ups and downs and I was straight,” Sharpe told reporters at the Frost Bank Center.

It certainly looked that way. Sharpe, who missed the team’s preseason and first seven games with a left shoulder injury, started Thursday’s contest with 3:32 left in the first quarter and scored his first basket with 1:32 on the clock.

By the end of the night, Sharpe had scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting with two rebounds and one assist.

“I thought Shaden played really well,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups told reporters. “He looked comfortable. He looked normal.”

The Blazers, who rank 25th in points per game (107.8), need the offensive boost that the 6-foot-2 Sharpe provides. He adds that he shoots three-pointers, creates his own shot and is fearless when attacking the basket.

Sharpe can also set up teammates.

“My whole goal was to come in and help my teammates,” he said. “Get them involved and compete at the highest level.”

Billups said he appreciated that Sharpe, a key piece, didn’t get overzealous in his first game back from injury.

“I was worried he was going to be a little nervous,” Billups said. “And doing a few things just because he just came back would be out of character for him. But he never did that. He looked great. I thought his shot selection was good for the most part. Defensively, I think he was solid.”