2018 NBA Playoffs: Power ranking all 16 teams

7. Portland Trail Blazers

We’re sure Rip City fans are sick and tired of people doubting Damian Lillard and his Portland Trail Blazers, who unexpectedly surged away from what looked like another .500 season and into the 3-seed in the West. Dame’s annual Post-All-Star Break Revenge Tour is always fun, but the Blazers went on a 27-12 tear to close the season and move up the Western Conference standings.

However, Portland isn’t entering the playoffs on the hottest of streaks, dropping five of their last eight games, including an 0-4 road trip that nearly put the 3-seed in jeopardy. With Maurice Harkless out and Ed Davis sidelined, this has looked like a slightly different team.

If C.J. McCollum continues to struggle as he did in April, during which time his shooting shriveled up to ghastly .360/.242/.824 splits, the Blazers could be in trouble. They’re still the better team, but they don’t have anyone who can hang with AD, and his ability to spread the floor on that end when paired with a stretch-4 like Nikola Mirotic will make life difficult for Jusuf Nurkic. Maybe Porland will shift out of cruise control, but consider this is a precautionary warning.