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The Portland Trail Blazers have been touted as a dark-horse for the 2020-21 NBA title. The franchise turned heads in 2019 when they reached the Western Conference Finals and will hope to go one better this time.
The Portland Trail Blazers followed their unexpected 2018-19 postseason run with a sub-par showing in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, making the eighth seed in a scramble only to lose in the first round. In all fairness to Terry Stotts' side, the Trail Blazers were reeling with player injuries heading into their challenging first-round matchup against the eventual champions, the LA Lakers.
On a brighter note, Dame Dolla sizzled in Orlando, dropping at least 40 points on four occasions, which included 51 and 61-point outings. With Damian Lillard still in his prime and the team adding the right pieces this off-season, the Portland Trail Blazers could finally break out of their mediocrity this campaign.
On the flip side, if they struggle to make a deep playoff run once again, the Portland Trail Blazers could undergo a complete overhaul, which could potentially see their top talent moving elsewhere.
Portland Trail Blazers Team Stats heading into the 2020-21 NBA All-Star Break
NBA Power Ranking: 13.
Season Record: 21-14.
Conference Standing: 5th.
Off-season Additions: Enes Kanter, Robert Covington, Derrick Jones Jr., Harry Giles III; Re-signed: Carmelo Anthony and Rodney Hood.
Team MVP: Damian Lillard.
On that note, let us analyze if the Portland Trail Blazers can make the Western Conference Finals this season or not.
The case for the Portland Trail Blazers making the 2020-21 NBA Western Conference Finals
#1: Damian Lillard playing at an MVP level
The 2020-21 NBA season has featured the Damian Lillard show once again, with the perennial All-Star posting MVP-caliber numbers on a nightly basis.
Dame Dolla has been clutch in late-game situations as he is reprising his game-savior role for the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers. Come playoff time, the Portland Trail Blazers could rely on his ability to close out games, thanks to his on-point long-range bombs.
In 34 games this season, Lillard has averaged 29.8 points while dishing out eight dimes and gathering four rebounds per contest. His awe-inspiring performances in the first half of the season should make him one of the favorites to bag the MVP award.
#2: Strong comeback after a slow start to the season
After a shaky start to their 2020-21 NBA campaign, the Portland Trail Blazers hit their stride in February. They marked a high point of their season with a six-game winning streak that saw them ascend to the top five teams in the stacked Western Conference.
Even with two of their top contributors sidelined due to injury (CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic), Damian Lillard and co. have been able to weather the storm, managing to beat the East-leading Philadelphia 76ers twice.
The resilience displayed by the Portland Trail Blazers augurs well for their title aspirations this year.
#3: The lethal backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum
CJ McCollum was having a career year for the Portland Trail Blazers before sustaining an injury.
With CJ back in the lineup before the start of the playoffs, though, the Portland Trail Blazers will have one of the most dangerous backcourt duos in the league.
CJ, in particular, holds the key to the success of the Portland Trail Blazers, as Damian Lillard could get his due one way or the other, leaving McCollum to ensure he offers enough support at the other end to keep the defensive pressure off Lillard.
Before McCollum got sidelined, he was averaging a career-best 26.7 points on 47% FG while dishing out five assists per game.
#4: The power-packed ensemble this campaign
The Portland Trail Blazers possess one of the deepest rosters in the league when healthy.
With their season riddled with injuries, though, the Portland Trail Blazers witnessed the emergence of two high-quality players stepping up to the plate: Gary Trent Jr. and future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony.
Heading into the NBA All-Star break, the duo is averaging 29 points between them and could prove to the difference-maker come playoff time.
Enes Kanter has made a huge impact in Nurkic's absence, averaging a double-double in 23 starts thus far. Derrick Jones Jr. and Robert Covington have shown flashes of brilliance, but the latter will be required to play better defense in the postseason.
The Portland Trail Blazers seem to have the right pieces to make a splash and perhaps go all the way this season.
The case against the Portland Trail Blazers making the 2020-21 NBA Western Conference Finals
#1: Injury woes
Arguably the biggest concern hindering the Portland Trail Blazers is their durability. The Portland Trail Blazers faced the same hurdle in the 2020 NBA playoffs as well, after Damian Lillard got sidelined in Game 4 of their first-round series against the LA Lakers.
However, the biggest worrying point this season has to be Jusuf Nurkic. After making his comeback from injury, Nurkic went out with a fractured right wrist.
He has joined Zach Collins, who suffered an ankle injury himself, leaving the Portland Trail Blazers with Kanter and Giles to keep the team afloat till their return. That could hinder their chances of making a deep run in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
#2: Team Defense
For the Portland Trail Blazers to become a legitimate threat, they'll need to make strides at the defensive end of the hardwood.
Last season, Rip City were the fourth-worst team in that department, giving up 114.3 points per 100 possessions, which, coincidentally, was the worst mark among all playoff teams.
This season, the Portland Trail Blazers have displayed more of the same, as the team ended the first half of their campaign with the 28th defensive rating in the league.
While they will be able to manage wins in the regular season on the back of their offensive prowess, the Portland Trail Blazers could face an uphill battle in the playoffs, as they will face off against the best of the best.
#3: Scoring options off the bench
No one can deny the impact Gary Trent Jr. and Melo are having at Portland Trail Blazers at the moment, though things may look different with CJ McCollum and Nurkic back in the lineup.
Players usually tend to cool off with reduced minutes off the bench, and in Anthony's case, not getting enough touches off the ball. That may mark a reduction in the offense generated by the second unit, leaving the Portland Trail Blazers more dependent on their starters.
While the Portland Trail Blazers bench is among the top 12 teams in the association at the moment, it remains to be seen how well they perform when the lights are shining the brightest.
#4: The coach
Yes, Terry Stotts is one of the best in the business, but he has not been able to put the Portland Trail Blazers over the hump and turn them into a championship-calibre team.
Stotts has been at the helm of the Portland Trail Blazers for eight seasons, with the current season being his ninth. Under his leadership, the Portland Trail Blazers have made it to the postseason in seven of eight campaigns while staying above .500 almost every year.
While Lillard and crew have complete faith in Stotts, the Portland Trail Blazers continue to slump at the defensive end. That begs the uncomfortable question if Stotts is indeed the best person for the Portland Trail Blazers job.
