If the Portland Trail Blazers make the 2018 NBA Playoffs, these will likely be the five reasons why.
The Portland Trail Blazers endured an up-and-down 2016-17 season before breaking even at 41-41. Led by career seasons from Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, the team went on a 18-8 post-All-Star Break surge.
This allowed the team to clinch its fourth consecutive playoff berth, earning the eighth seed. In the end, the team was swept by the eventual-champion Golden State Warriors in the first round.
It was the addition of Jusuf Nurkic, and a general team effort, that helped Portland pull back into the playoff race. In 2017-18, that might not be such an easy feat to pull off.
Over the offseason, the scales of competition tipped further in the Western Conference’s favor. All-Stars Paul George and Chris Paul were traded to teams – the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets, respectively – that already featured the league MVP (Russell Westbrook) and his runner-up (James Harden).
A little further down the standings, the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves added all-stars (Paul Millsap and Jimmy Butler, respectively) to teams that are already brimming with potential. The New Orleans Pelicans will have their first full season with twin towers DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis.
With the steeper competition, the margin for error is slimmer this year. However, the Portland Trail Blazers do have the ability to find themselves back in the postseason. In this article we will explore five reasons the team will clinch their fifth consecutive playoff berth.