Portland Trail Blazers
Current Record: 7-3
Standings: 2nd in Division, 3rd in Conference
I feel like it happens nearly every year – people just count out the Portland Trail Blazers. However, time and time again they’ve proven up to the task and figured out a way to prove the doubters wrong. Sure, the way they limped to the third seed last year and were obliterated in the first round of the playoffs by the New Orleans Pelicans was discouraging, but this is still a great team known for defying the odds. The season is very young, but so far, they’re at it again.
The Blazers are 7-3, good for third in the West. They’ve knocked off some good teams during that stretch and, despite some roster changes, are still absolutely humming on both ends of the floor. They’re currently fourth in the league in defensive rating and fifth in offensive rating, resulting in the fourth best net rating in the NBA. Portland has taken teams to task with a well-balanced offensive and defensive attack so far.
The fact of the matter for me is that regardless of who the Blazers have around them, as long as they have Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum and the long-underrated head coach Terry Stotts, they’re going to be a staunch team. They’ve shown that in full force up to this point. Dame has been nothing short of amazing, as he’s putting up averages of 28.1 points on 47.8 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent from deep.
What’s been perhaps most encouraging, though, is the fact that Jusuf Nurkic, the third piece of their puzzle, is off to a good start so far. He’s putting up career marks of 15.3 points per game on 53.6 percent shooting from the field and posting a plus/minus of plus-6.7. He’s also pulling down over 10 boards per contest and has been a stingy rim protector for the Blazers.
The bench and role players for the Blazers have been better than expected as well, which has further helped them reach their current position in the West. As I’ve mentioned numerous times, a lot could change in the Northwest Division’s landscape, but so far, I love what I’m seeing out of the Blazers, and I believe that a top-two spot in the Northwest Division and a high playoff seed are both very much within their reach.