Portland Trail Blazers Season Shaping Up Very Similar to Last

The Trail Blazers are primed for a turn around similar to last season – will they make the defensive improvements necessary?

The Portland Trail Blazers salvaged a win on their disappointing four-game home stand and sit at 14-20 on the season. The team has just one more game before the New Year. It’s been quite a disappointing start to the season, with countless 4th quarter heartbreaking defeats. Superstar Damian Lillard sat out with an injury. Things are grim in Portland. Yet, as they look toward the beginning of a new year, the Western Conference playoff race is still wide open.

Wait – am I describing last year? The similarities are eerie.

It struck me as the team rallied behind Lillard’s injury these past two games. C.J. McCollum took a clear step forward last year while filling in as the team’s superstar. The role players all stepped up. Their record without Lillard last season doesn’t jump off the page, but when the superstar returned, the team finally broke through. Could the same thing happen this year?

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The main difference with this season is the payroll and expectations (and Evan Turner of course). Portland had trouble hitting the salary cap floor last season, whereas now they might have trouble avoiding luxury tax the next few seasons. The expectation of building from within was an even more successful season than last.

With how excruciating this season has been for fans who expected a step forward – A step forward is still not out of the question. Terry Stotts’ led teams routinely improve as the season goes on. A few games without their worst defensive player (Lillard) will allow the rest of the team gain confidence in their ability to stop the other team. The absence of Lillard also gives the crucial role players an opportunity to find their own shot. Too often this roster is content with waiting for Lillard or McCollum to create shots.

If Portland is to turn it around this year, it has to be soon. (Their schedule is favorable in January: three games vs. the Lakers!) It also has to be on the defensive end. Luckily, the signs are there for a turn around. The past two games, Portland’s league-worst defense looks substantially improved. Both opponents shot under 40 % from the field.

The offense is improved versus last year. Virtually everyone outside of Evan Turner has taken steps forward offensively. (Although Turner finally looks comfortable in his bench role) The Trail Blazers are more efficient than ever. Even minor improvements on the defensive end will lead Portland to the playoffs.

Last year, the team ultimately fell to 15-24 before making a move up the standings. The middle-class of the Western Conference was much cloudier, as Portland snuck into the fifth seed. However, the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder are not going to run away from the Trail Blazers. Portland soundly beat each of those teams during their poor start. The fifth seed is not as far out of reach as it looks currently. Maybe the absence of Lillard will spark a run just like last season.

The Trail Blazers just need to be within striking distance down the stretch of the aforementioned Western Conference playoff teams: Portland finishes the season with 10 out of 12 games at home.