With a new and improved roster, the Portland Trail Blazers could make some noise in the Western Conference this coming season.
Having been bombarded by countless injuries, the Portland Trail Blazers had a 2019-20 season to forget.
Despite the hardships endured on their roster, Portland managed to sneak into the postseason following a strong showing in the NBA’s restart as they finished the season with a 35-39 overall record. However, it was a short-lived trip, as the eighth-seeded Blazers faced off against the eventual world champion Los Angeles Lakers, and the series was over in five games.
Now, the Blazers are rejuvenated after a much-needed offseason, and they have a star-studded roster that looks as if it could be a dark horse candidate to come out of the Western Conference. If they can stay healthy, here are three bold predictions for the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2020-21 season.
Bold prediction No. 3 – Blazers finish top three in Western Conference
The Portland Trail Blazers’ new revamped rotation is undoubtedly something special.
Along with the returning trio of Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, and Jusuf Nurkic, the team added two household names to round out the starting lineup, including Derrick Jones Jr. and Robert Covington. Portland’s bench is also bolstered with the frontcourt acquisitions of Enes Kanter and Harry Giles III, alongside the returning likes of Carmelo Anthony, Gary Trent Jr., and Rodney Hood. In short, this Portland roster is loaded with talented pieces from top to bottom, and they could surprise some people next season.
Last season, Damian Lillard was forced to put the team on his back as his supporting cast was decimated by injuries, but now, the guard is playing on one of the league’s deepest rosters. Making the jump from the eighth seed to a top-three seed in the conference poses its fair share of challenges, but health barring, the Portland Trail Blazers could certainly finish top three in the Western Conference this coming season.