NBA: Western Conference Power Rankings – Portland Trail Blazers
Nearly halfway through the regular season, the play of Stephen Curry, LaMarcus Aldridge and Marc Gasol has elevated their respective teams a top the Western Conference power rankings.
If the playoffs were to begin today, the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers would not have home-court advantage in the first round, which all three did last year in the playoffs.
This year it’s been all about the stellar play from the Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks.
We’ve already reviewed the Warriors here. Today, we break down the Trail Blazers.
*Please note- The stats used are from games played through Jan. 11, 2015.
One of the league’s most balanced teams, the Trail Blazers rank top ten in points, rebounds, assists and points allowed. Led by LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, two likely All-Star candidates, the team is only a game behind the Warriors for the best record in the league.
After lighting up Dwight Howard and the Rockets last year in the playoffs, Aldridge continues to post big numbers against strong defensive teams. In a triple-overtime thriller matched up with Tim Duncan and the Spurs, Aldridge went for 32 points and 16 rebounds in the win. Prior to that, he dropped 35 points on the Chicago Bulls.
This is a point guard driven league and Lillard is nearing top three consideration (see Byron Scott‘s latest comments regarding Lillard). In his third year, he’s averaging 22.2 points per game, the highest of his career. But it’s not just the scoring ability he’s displayed — it’s the fact that he is always under control and plays with incredible poise for such a young player.
He never seems to be scared in the big moment or against elite competition, illuminated by his 40-point, 11-assist, six-rebound performance against Russell Westbrook, propelling the Trail Blazers to a road win.
The addition of Chris Kaman has been huge for the franchise. He’s given them a reliable backup 7-footer and a veteran capable of producing in limited minutes behind starting center Robin Lopez. In just more than 19 minutes per game, Kaman is averaging 6.6 rebounds. The Trail Blazers, just like last year, rank first in total rebounds per game.
Their success is also attributed to the fact that no other team gives up fewer points than them, holding teams to just 96.4 points per game. They also have Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum defending the perimeter, with Lopez anchoring the interior.
The well-balanced attack on both ends of the court has caused match up problems for their opponents, witnessed in wins against other playoff teams such as Cleveland, Chicago, San Antonio and Toronto.
Looking at the second half of their schedule, the Trail Blazers still have to play Memphis and Dallas three more times each, along with Golden State twice. How they fare in those matchups down the stretch will likely determine their home court positioning.