How Troubling is the Trail Blazers’ Record?

The Portland Trail Blazers have gotten off to a rocky start in their 2021-22 campaign. Even with a victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night, their record stands at 7-8, 6-1 at home but a dismal 1-7 on the road. This was not the first month Blazers fans were looking for following a summer that featured franchise superstar Damian Lillard demanding change and President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey vowing that a new coach would make a huge difference in the team’s fortunes.

How much trouble are the Blazers in, though? A quick look at the standings shows that 19 out of 30 NBA teams hold a record within two games of .500 or lower. The Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76’ers, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers all hold records comparable to Portland’s. The Blazers aren’t alone in their middling ways. They stand among good company.

On the other hand, Portland was supposed to be better this season, not just comfortable among the also-rans. In two more games, the year will be 1/5 of the way to completion. At best, Portland will own a 9-8 record. That’d make them no higher than the 7th-best team in the Western Conference at that point. And that only happens if they beat the Chicago Bulls and the Sixers while other teams lose.

So here’s the question: How concerned are you about Portland’s record so far? Is it time to start worrying, or do you believe that this is just part of the early-season discovery process that most teams go through? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!