Chapter 33: Great Victory, Small Victory

Ramsay, after a bout of intense coaching, continued to observe and direct the game from the sidelines, kneeling on one knee and clad in plaid pants.

He kept shouting "Run, run, run, don't fall behind," urging his players to intensify their offense, to keep running and seeking scoring opportunities, using points to deflate the opposing team's momentum.

But in reality, Ramsay hadn't quite decided what kind of tactical system the team would use for the new season.

Observations from the preseason games weren't enough for him to set the tone for this team, full of rookies. This year's Trail Blazers were among the youngest in the League.

Their oldest players were Mychal Thompson and Tom-Scheffler, both only 30, with the rest being youths in their twenties.

Of these, seven were under 25, four just entering the NBA this year—they were really too young.