Shortly after Trail Blazers rookie Scoot Henderson helped the Blazers defeat the Utah Jazz 121-105 at the Moda Center on Wednesday night, he walked toward a mirror inside the team’s locker room.

Wearing protective goggles, Henderson looked in the mirror and started to mimic basketball moves and running in order to complete testing of a pair of protective goggles to determine which one fit and felt better.

The reason?

A recent eye exam revealed that Henderson needed corrective lenses. Henderson said the change in his eyesight wasn’t that noticeable, but the lenses have helped.

“It was just as I’m getting older, even though I’m 19, eyesight changes sometimes,” Henderson said with a smile as his reference to his age drew chuckles. “The doctor just recommended the contacts and just for protection, the goggles. And they are stylish.”

Henderson’s performance in his first game since injuring his ankle on Nov. 1 at Detroit included some style and, according to Henderson, came with a better view of the game.

And not simply because he wore contact lenses, but because sitting out eight games allowed him to learn while watching Malcolm Brogdon and Skylar Mays run the team.

“I just seen a whole bunch of things that I didn’t see while I was playing,” Henderson said. “Being more patient. Watching Skylar and Malcolm, how patient they are in certain situations and just trying to piggyback off that.”

Henderson, whose playing time was limited, played 17 minutes off the bench against the Jazz. In that time, he shot just 1 of 7 from the field for three points but handed out seven assists.

“I think I played alright,” Henderson said. “I didn’t take many shots or nothing like that. I was just trying to get my conditioning up. I’m never pressed over taking that many shots. I know they are going to come. I know the shots are going to fall.”

Henderson struggled for much of his first five games before the injury. He shot 34.6% from the field and 9.5% on three-pointers. However, at Detroit, he was on his way to having by far his best game with 11 points and seven assists in 20 minutes.

The injury no doubt set him back. Not playing left Henderson longing to be on the court, fighting alongside his teammates.

“It was hard,” he said. “Every night I’m like, ’I gotta get out there. I feel like I’m not helping in some way.’”

Despite Henderson not shooting well, Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said the point guard, whose plus/minus was plus-15, certainly helped jumpstart the team’s offense.

“I thought Scoot was good,” Billups said. “I thought his tempo was good. I thought he was a little rusty just not having played. He was a little indecisive out there, which happens when you miss so much time. But his competitiveness, defensively and his push offensively, it fuels us. I thought his playmaking was pretty good.”

Pace and playmaking is what the Blazers need most from Henderson right now. Billups said that Henderson knows that his job is to be on the attack, and that’s what he did against the Jazz.

“I’m always on him about just, if you get a rebound or you get a kick ahead, the first six seconds is yours,” Billups said. “See what we can do. See what we can get to. Can’t get nothing? OK, bring it out, kick it around. We’ll figure it out.”

Jerami Grant, who scored 30 points against the Jazz, said Henderson’s presence was huge for the team.

“He brought us a spark,” Grant said. “He pushed the pace for us. We played faster than we’ve been playing over the last whatever games that he hasn’t played.”

Grant also appreciated Henderson’s goggles.

“I actually liked them because they reminded me of my uncle,” Grant said.

His uncle is former NBA All-Star forward Horace Grant, who wore goggles while playing for the Chicago Bulls and the Orlando Magic.

For Henderson, the goggles will take some getting used to. He said he practiced once while wearing them before the game.

“I think I adapt pretty quick,” he said. “A couple more games, it’s going to feel like I ain’t got nothing on my face.”

Adapting. Seeing more clearly. Whatever it takes for Henderson to make an impact.

“Really, the main goal was to try to come back and get a win today,” Henderson said. “That’s been huge on our list is just winning.”

Portland will have three days off before a date with Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks on the road Sunday.