OKC Thunder: Ranking difficulty of seeding schedules for all 22 teams
5th) Blazers – Cumulative opponent win total: 311
Seeding Game Record: 6-2, win guarantees spot in play-in where they get two chances to win one game and clinch eighth seed.
- Blazers 140 – Grizzlies 135 (July 31)
- Celtics 128 – Blazers 124 (August 2)
- Blazers 110 – Rockets102 (August 4)
- Blazers 125 – Nuggets 115 (August 6)
- Clippers 122 – Blazers 117 (August 8)
- Blazers 124 – 76ers 121 (August 9)
- Blazers 134 – Mavericks 131 (August 11)
- Blazers 134 – Nets 133 (August 13)
No one has been more adamant about stating their intentions of being a playoff squad than Damian Lillard. The irony of him being the one who heads into these ‘seeded games’ nursing an injury isn’t lost on us.
Their schedule is tough and doesn’t offer much leeway other than the Nets in terms of the timing for when they face specific teams. The first match is the most important because a loss to the Grizzlies won’t knock them out but it sure won’t help their cause.
Boston is chasing the Raptors and trying to stay ahead of the Heat. The Rockets are trying to catch the Thunder, Jazz, and Clippers and stay ahead of the Mavericks. The Nuggets and Clippers are each vying for the second seed.
All those teams come early in the earlier portion of their schedule. There may be some leeway in the back half of their schedule since seeds could be cemented by then. That said, it’s not a guarantee with the Mavericks trying to avoid the Clippers and get out of seventh and the 76ers trying to move up.