LAS VEGAS -- After the Trail Blazers suffered a blowout loss to the Pistons in their first game of the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League, the coaching staff challenged a number of players, most notable Gary Trent Jr. and Anfernee Simons, to bring a better effort in their second contest.
By all accounts, that challenge was accepted and eventually conquered.
The sophomore backcourt duo combined to shoot 11-of-13 from the field and 9-of-10 from three in the first half on the way to leading the Trail Blazers to a 97-87 victory versus the Houston Rockets Sunday night at COX Pavilion on the campus of UNLV.