The 1999-2000 Portland Trail Blazers were a powerhouse, capable of challenging any team in the NBA. Led by the seasoned Scottie Pippen, a six-time champion, the Blazers boasted a roster filled with All-Stars such as Rasheed Wallace, Steve Smith, and Detlef Schrempf. The team was further bolstered by the contributions of solid role players like Damon Stoudemire, Arvydas Sabonis, and Brian Grant , each of whom brought their unique skills to the court.
As is often the case with a team boasting a loaded roster, minutes and opportunities were fiercely contested, creating an environment where every player had to bring their A-game to practices to earn their spot on the court.
According to Grant, who was known for his toughness and gritty play inside the shaded lane, things got pretty heated during team practices. In an interview with Trill Withers on the Legends Lounge, he discussed the intense competition for playing time within that Blazers squad.
Lots of talented guys aiming for minutes
In addition to the aforementioned players, the Blazers team also had Bonzi Wells, Jermaine O’Neal, and Greg Anthony, which meant that plenty of talented guys were fighting for playing time. At times, those guys had to literally fight for those opportunities.
“It was a great team to be on and play in the games and stuff. Practices got a little wild. I realized that we had 15 guys, at least 12 of them could be starting somewhere or at least be getting more minutes than they were getting,” BG shared .
NBA players have egos. Nobody may admit it, but it takes a huge amount of confidence to make it to the big leagues. However, when players sit on the bench for too long, their egos can take a hit, and they start feeling antsy. These negative vibes naturally spill over to practice.
“Our practices were very competitive. It wasn’t nothing to see somebody throw ‘em up,” Grant narrated, adding that even their head coach, Mike Dunleavy, got in on the act and never backed down from any of his players regardless of the size disparity.
“Even Mike Dunleavy, I respected him so much. Here he was coaching all this talent and attitude,” the Xavier product stated. “Dunleavy was with it. He wasn’t no punk. He might have gotten his a** whooped but he wasn’t no punk.”
Defined by the Game 7 loss to the Lakers
Regrettably, that Blazers team will forever be etched in NBA history for their monumental fourth-quarter collapse in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals against the rival Los Angeles Lakers. Up by 13 points at the start of the final quarter, the Blazers suddenly lost their way and failed to score for over seven minutes, leading to a devastating loss.
Portland missed 13 shots in a row and was outscored 31-13 in the fourth to fall 89-84 and lose its best chance of winning an NBA crown for the first time since 1977.
“We realize we sort of made cowards of ourselves in the fourth quarter,” Pippen said after the disastrous meltdown. “We played like we were fatigued, and they gained the momentum they needed.”
Since that painful loss, the Blazers have only made it back to the WCF once, getting swept by the Golden State Warriors in 2019. Despite having some talented players over the years, including All-Stars like LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, the Blazers have not been able to reach the same level of success as they did in 2000.
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