Are the Portland Trail Blazers a top 10 NBA team?
Numerous national power rankings have placed the Portland Trail Blazers in the top 10 in their latest power rankings. Are they there to stay?
The Portland Trail Blazers capped a five-game road trip on Monday with a 103-91 victory over the New York Knicks. The Blazers went 4-1 on the trip, which took the team through Memphis and the Northeast. They now hold a 13-8 record on the season, fourth-best in the Western Conference.
National media is noticing the Blazers’ good play, placing them highly in their latest power rankings. ESPN, who posted theirs before the Knicks game, have placed Portland at No. 8. That puts them behind the Toronto Raptors – a team that fell two spots from the previous week.
Oddly enough, ESPN placed them a spot ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are the only team that defeated the Blazers on this road trip, throttling them 101-81 on Nov. 22.
Meanwhile, HoopsHabit puts Rip City at No. 6, CBS Sports puts them at No. 7 and NBA.com places them at No. 9.
It’s somewhat surprising seeing the Blazers ranked highly both in the conference standings and in media power rankings. In the preseason, it seemed like so many teams in the Western Conference made moves to solidify themselves as playoff contenders. Meanwhile, the Blazers’ lack of moves made it seem like we knew what we would get: an offensive-minded team that was just okay on defense.
Instead, we see a Blazers team that has now prioritized defense and is dangerous beyond the arc. For their efforts, they are third in the Western Conference in point differential. They would also hold home court in a first round playoff series if the postseason began today.
But the big question now is whether or not this is sustainable. Their defense certainly makes the case in the affirmative. Portland is third in the NBA in defensive rating, allowing only 99.3 points per 100 possessions. As the cliche indicates, defense helps a team much more than a dynamic offense does as the season progresses.
However, Portland’s offense isn’t very dynamic these days. The Blazers’ 103.1 points per 100 possessions places them 20th in offensive rating. Despite holding the league’s seventh best 3-point percentage (38.1 percent), they only average the 25th-most attempts per game. Otherwise, things tend to stagnate and they struggle mightily to score at the rim.
The Blazers also haven’t had the toughest schedule through their opening 21 games. Only seven of their games have come against teams that are top eight in either conference. They are 4-3 in those matchups with a +5.0 net point differential. However, two of their biggest losses this season have come against playoff-caliber teams, including their 76ers loss and a 99-85 loss to the Raptors.
Still, the Blazers make sure to beat the teams they are supposed to. This is evidenced by their +3.8 net rating, fifth-best in the league.
It’s still a little early to definitively declare the Portland Trail Blazers a top 10 team in the NBA. Their offense isn’t particularly potent, despite their 3-point efficiency. They’ve also had a fairly soft schedule so far, having yet to face teams like the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. Those are three opponents they will face in December. Maybe we will have a better idea heading into January.
Next: 2017-18 Week 7 NBA Power Rankings
However, the Blazers have also become a potent defensive squad. They play with intensity and have done a better job of closing out games. If they can hold form in these aspects as the season continues, they will remain in the national conversation — and the statistics — as a top 10 team.