The Portland Trail Blazers’ biggest change this NBA season came on the sidelines, but not to their roster. Head coach Terry Stotts was relieved of his position after nine years with the team. He made the postseason eight consecutive seasons, but his lack of success there is as big of a reason as any as to why he isn’t coming back.
Portland lost in the first round in four out of the last five years. Now, Chauncey Billups will be tasked with getting this team over the hump in the postseason.
It will be easier said than done. The team has an explosive offense led by the dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. They were the driving force behind the team having the second-best offensive rating in the NBA last season.
Alas, as explosive as Portland is scoring the ball they are as poor at keeping opponents from doing the same. They had the second-worst defensive rating in the league, besting only the Sacramento Kings.
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Defense is the team’s Achilles’ heel, as management has failed to maximize the talents of Lillard and McCollum. They failed to do so again this offseason, which is why an anonymous scout with Sports Illustrated believes they will miss the postseason again.
“I don’t think they make the playoffs. The West is loaded again. As special as Lillard is and how good McCollum is, I just don’t like the roster they’ve put around, the depth that they built. The roster is super thin.”
If that occurs, the future of the franchise will change drastically. You can book it that Lillard would request a trade should the team struggle out of the gates and miss the postseason in Billups’ first season.
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Seeing the Milwaukee Bucks win a championship made Damian Lillard feel like he could do the same in Portland. But, the biggest difference between the organizations is that the Bucks went above and beyond building up the roster around Giannis Antetoukounmpo. The Portland Trail Blazers, unfortunately, have not done the same with their star.
