Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe became the youngest player in team history to reach 1,000 points in Friday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The record was previously held by Sebastian Telfair, who reached 1,000 points near the end of his second season in 2005-06. The Blazers drafted Telfair out of high school with the 13th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.

Sharpe came into Friday's game with 995 career points and then scored six points in the first quarter. The record-breaking moment came when Sharpe scored on a layup during a Blazers fast break with just over two-minutes remaining in the first quarter:

The opportunity

With the Blazers missing guards Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson, and Malcom Brogdon to various injuries, Sharpe has had to pick up the workload in the backcourt. And pick it up he has – Sharpe leads the NBA in minutes per game, averaging nearly 39 minutes.

The Trail Blazers have backcourt reinforcements returning soon. Malcolm Brogdon doesn't have an official timetable to come back, but his strained hamstring seems to be a day-to-day update. Soot Henderson's sprained ankle will keep him out just one to two more weeks. Anfernee Simons has had the cast removed from his hand and he's expected to return from his torn thumb ligament sometime in the middle of next month.

With respect to Skylar Mays and Jamaree Bouyea, the Blazers will be thrilled to get their backcourt talent back, so they don't have to rely on Sharpe as extensively. He has performed admirably – nearly doubling last season's scoring average at 19 points per game – but coach Chauncey Billups won't want to wear Sharpe out too early in the season.

Making the leap

Sharpe has taken a massive leap for the Blazers this season. Since Simons was injured in the first game of the season, he has put up 19 points per game to go along with nearly six rebounds and four assists per night.

Most surprising, Sharpe has shown a giant leap in his willingness and ability to get buckets in crunch time. Where last season he mostly shot 3-pointers or would drive and try to dunk as an outlet valve, this year he's a more focal part of the offense, especially down the stretch. Sharpe is initiating the Blazers offense more frequently and working in more creative ways. His percentage of midrange shots is up, and he's more than tripled his free throw rate. Perhaps most importantly, Sharpe is much more able to create his own shot instead of relying on teammates to find him in position.

What's next

The Blazers coach will have a tricky situation to navigate once Simons and the others return. While there just aren't enough difference-making guards healthy on the team right now, it will be difficult to justify return Sharpe to a bench role. Shaedon started the season as a reserve before joining the starting lineup after Simons' injury in the Blazers season-opener.

When asked about his record-setting feat, Sharpe responded in his typically low-key manner.  Said Sharpe, “I think it’s cool. It’s pretty cool.”

Sharpe and the Blazers get to enjoy a day off on Saturday to rest their tired legs before they're back in action on Sunday. The team will take on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and the Oklahoma City Thunder from Moda Center. Portland has lost six games in a row heading into that contest.