The Portland Trail Blazers were the breakout team in the NBA’s Western Conference this past season. Can Portland now put together the same kind of season, only with a lot more pressure on its back?
What Went Wrong Last Season?
Nothing went wrong for the Trail Blazers last season. This team was not really expected to do very much at the start, but it blitzed the NBA with a high-powered offense that functioned extremely well from the very beginning of November all the way through to the second round of the playoffs. Damian Lillard is, if not a superstar in only his second season as a pro, a definite star. He’s already at that level. Lillard’s ability to create off the dribble and hit lots of big long-distance shots in crucial situations has marked him as a point guard worthy of a team and coaching staff’s complete trust. Portland put the ball in the 24-year-old’s hands this past season and was not regretful of its decision. Lillard had a sidekick in LaMarcus Aldridge who could put the ball in the basket even more consistently than he could. The outside-inside combo of Lillard and Aldridge made Portland so difficult to defend. The Blazers focused on shooting the three-point shot and spreading the floor, a smart move by coach Terry Stotts which forced teams to either double-team Aldridge in the post or extend on shooters, which gave Aldridge a lot of man-to-man isolation situations in the low post. Portland found a way to score with great constancy, and the Blazers rode that basic formula all the way to the playoffs. Portland didn’t just make the playoffs for the first time in several seasons, an unexpected treat for long-starved fans in Oregon. The Blazers won their first playoff series in nearly 15 years when they defeated the Houston Rockets in six games, winning the clincher on a three-pointer by Lillard at the buzzer after the Rockets took the lead in the final seconds on a putback basket by Chandler Parsons. Portland got everything out of this season it realistically could. The Blazers could not have asked for a better resolution to their journey. They did get wiped out by the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the second round, but that was to be expected. The Spurs were clearly the best team in the league and were a much tougher team after being tested by the Dallas Mavericks in a seven-game first-round series.
Offseason Changes
The Blazers know they need to find more bench production and a generally deeper team, but will they have one? Mo Williams is gone, now with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Will Barton is a new addition, as is Steve Blake at the point to back up Lillard. Chris Kaman is part of the mix, and Dorell Wright could be an interesting new piece as well.
Projected Finish
The Blazers have so much offense that they’re likely to be able to keep pace in the race for a playoff spot, but they are probably going to be knocked back a little only because teams are more familiar with them now.
Pick: Seventh In The Western Conference, First Round Of The Playoffs
