Hoops Habit
Fansided

Predictions For The Northwest Division In 2016-17

By Carter Johnson

Dec 23, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) attempts a shot against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) attempts a shot against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
NBA
Mar 4, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) celebrates after making a basket against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Trail Blazers 117-115. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Portland Trail Blazers

2015-16 Record: 44-38 (2nd in Northwest Division)
2016-17 Prediction: 46-36 (1st in Northwest Division) 

The underrated are now the top dogs in the Northwest Division.

Led by their dynamic backcourt of star point guard Damian Lillard and reigning Most Improved Player C.J. McCollum, the Trail Blazers proved all the naysayers wrong by earning the fifth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs following a 2015 offseason where they lost four of their five starters in free agency.

Now, no one is sleeping on the Blazers and many expect them to take the crown of the Northwest Division champion.

With both receiving major extensions over the last two summers, Lillard and McCollum are now the faces of the franchise and are expected to expand upon their 2015-16 outings, where they both averaged career-highs in scoring with 25.1 and 20.8 points per game respectively and shot a combined 39.6 percent from deep.

The Blazers also added stellar role players in Evan Turner and Festus Ezeli through free agency and retained the services of young wings Allen Crabbe and Maurice Harkless.

Terry Stotts was a legitimate Coach of the Year candidate last season and will undoubtedly put the Blazers in a position to compete in the Western Conference yet again.

More hoops habit: Every NBA Team's Star Wars Counterpart

With the losses Oklahoma City sustained, the division is Portland’s for the taking — and you can bet that, as always, Damian Lillard and company are up for the challenge.