Portland Trail Blazers:
Week 11: 3-0
Won vs: Hornets 123-111, Warriors 108-106, Kings 123-119
Week 12 opponents: Suns, @Wolves (x2)
Offense: (115.3) 7th
Defense: (115.7) 28th
Net: (Minus -0.4) 18th
If you caught the All-Star Game, witnessing Damian Lillard drill shots from the halfcourt logo with the same ease Zion has dunking on smaller players it was all the evidence you need to not count out the Blazers.
Although Stephen A. Smith is calling for Dame to leave Portland for the Knicks most fans prefer parity in the sport. Granted, the narrator’s preference is clearly small markets. What the OKC Thunder have accomplished in their 13 seasons is far more compelling to me than watching the cash cow teams get players on veteran minimums who were earning over $36.5 million on their former small-market team.
Players like Lillard are refreshing as he remains loyal and works with the front office to build a championship team.
That the Blazers managed to win 13 of 22 games after losing CJ McCollum who joined Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins on the injured list was nothing short of amazing. March will witness the return of McCollum and Nurkic.
The Blazers will need them too because 22 of their 37 games are against current playoff seeds. Another five matches feature the Hawks, Grizzlies, and Pacers (with players returning from injury) who’ll be invested in getting back into the thick of the race.
Terry Stotts priority is to find a way to shorten Dame’s load so he reaches the end of May rested and healthy. With that, I’ll maintain my preseason belief this club will be a problem in the playoffs.