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Portland Trail Blazers: Why winning the Northwest Division matters

By Raymond Simms

(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) /
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The Portland Trail Blazers have won the Northwest Division crown. This accomplishment speaks to the franchise’s development over the past few years.

After a brutal 0-4 road trip, the Portland Trail Blazers managed to end the 2017-18 campaign on a positive note. The Blazers defeated the Utah Jazz 102-93 on the final night of the regular season, finishing with a 49-33 record.

This is Portland’s best finish since going 51-31 in 2014-15. In the process, they clinched the third seed in the 2018 Playoffs and the Northwest Division title. It is their second Northwest division crown — their first came in 2014-15 — and their sixth in franchise history.

Winning a division is never an easy task. But this year, Portland’s road was particularly tough due to the strength of the competition. Every team in the Northwest was in playoff contention entering the final day of the regular season.

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They are the only division in the league this season to hold that distinction.

Behind the Blazers, the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder finished tied at 48-34. Though the Jazz-Blazers game determined the division champion, the Thunder hold a 3-1 series tiebreaker over Utah. Therefore, the Jazz fell to the fifth seed with the loss to Portland.

They didn’t only lose out on the division crown, they also lost out on homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Still, the Jazz feature Rookie of the Year candidate Donovan Mitchell and the second-best defense in the NBA. Utah allowed just 101.6 points per 100 possessions, falling 0.1 points short of the No. 1 Boston Celtics.

Meanwhile, the Thunder are led by reigning Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook as well as all-star-caliber forwards Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.

The Minnesota Timberwolves (47-35) and Denver Nuggets (46-36) round out the division. They do so with records that would earn them the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Both teams faced off in what was essentially a play-in game for the final playoff spot in the West. Minnesota ultimately won out in front of their home crowd, defeating Denver 112-106 in an overtime thriller.

It’s impressive that the Blazers were able to finish as kings of the northwestern hill considering what they were up against in the division. It truly speaks to the growth this team has experienced over the past several years.

It was hard to tell what direction the team was heading in after the summer of 2015 when four of the team’s five starters – including 2018 All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge – departed. However, Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum stepped up and ultimately became one of the NBA’s most dynamic backcourt duos.

The two were able to navigate the Blazers back into the playoffs, beating a hobbled Los Angeles Clippers team and bringing the fight in five games to the 73-9 Golden State Warriors.

Questions about the team’s direction surfaced again when Portland fell to 24-35 late in the 2016-17 season. However, a surging Damian Lillard and new acquisition Jusuf Nurkic were able to lead the team to a 13-3 March, eventually securing the final playoff spot in the West and another meeting with the eventual champion Warriors.

This season’s Blazers were clearly an improved team, never falling below .500 at any point in the year and sporting a better defense than previous teams in the Damian Lillard Era. However, it was hard to tell how much better they were. At times it felt fair to ask if this team had stagnated or hit a ceiling.

However, Portland answered that question emphatically in mid-February. The 31-26 Trail Blazers proceeded to reel off 13 consecutive victories, tied for second-longest streak in franchise history.

While Damian Lillard was still leading the way, this season’s success felt more like a team effort. McCollum continued to deliver as a second option, Jusuf Nurkic became more consistent throughout the year and the role players seemed to play above their heads for most of the year.

Lillard, in particular, displayed his own growth this season. He has always delivered statistically as the leader of this squad. However, he avoided complacency and managed to build on his game from past seasons.

In 2017-18, Lillard averaged 26.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game. One of his biggest areas of maturation was on defense. His 2018 defensive rating of 103.5 points per 100 possessions is a 5.4-point improvement from 2016-17.

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Lillard also earned his third all-star appearance, his first since 2015. He averaged 30.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game during the team’s 13-game winning streak. Those numbers left people wondering if he was a top-10 MVP candidate. Rather he is or isn’t, he will surely find his name among one of the All-NBA teams at the end of the year.

Despite the growth that has already taken place, there is still plenty of growing to do. ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out via Twitter that the Blazers have the youngest roster in the playoffs. While this could bode well for future postseasons, this could also lead to a number of growing pains over the next several weeks.

The Portland Trail Blazers clinched the Northwest Division title on Wednesday night. It’s an accomplishment the team should be proud of, especially considering the competition they beat out to earn it. This team has come a long way during the “Damian Lillard Era”.

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However, their first test in the playoffs is the New Orleans Pelicans, a team they’ve grappled with all season. It’s always good to celebrate successes, but there are many more trials ahead in Rip City.

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