Portland Trail Blazers: 6 Things We've Learned This Season

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Feb 23, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guards C.J. McCollum (3) and Damian Lillard (0) celebrate after Lillard was fouled late in the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Blazers won 112-104. Mandatory Credit: Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

The Portland Trail Blazers were widely predicted to be among the worst teams in the Western Conference this season thanks to the loss of four of their five starters from the squad a year ago.

Among the departed from last season’s stating lineup are perennial All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who left via free agency to the San Antonio Spurs, and wing Nicolas Batum who was traded to the Charlotte Hornets.

Instead of rolling over and playing the role of doormat that everybody expected, the Blazers are full of fight and vigor and are right in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, and are the hottest team in the NBA.

The Blazers have won six straight, nine of their last 10, and 15 of their last 18 games, and have risen from a 15-24 record early in January to a 30-27 mark and a stunning half-game lead over the Dallas Mavericks for sixth place in the West.

At a certain point, we have to conclude that a team actually is what it looks like rather than what we expected them to be, and it might just be time to buy in on these Portland Trail Blazers.

As the Blazers continue to rip their way through the NBA, it’s time to take a deeper look at one of the most interesting and surprising teams in the league this season and find out just a bit more about them.

Next: This Team Might Actually Be Too Good

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6 Things We’ve Learned About The Portland Trail Blazers

By Duncan Smith | Feb 25, 2016

The Portland Trail Blazers have been full of surprises so far this season, almost all of them pleasant. It’s time to dig in deep on the NBA’s hottest team.