Another unbeaten week (yes, this has already happened this season). And with every win, we get closer to looking like a competent team trying to win games. This week, we won by an average of 20 points. TWENTY POINTS!?! What is Chauncey putting into the water in the locker room? Who cares. This team is so fun to watch that I might not care if we’re moving out of the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. Obviously, I care about the future of this franchise, and having Flagg is better than not having him, but who knows, we could win it from the 10th, 11th, or 12th best odds. It would be the cherry on top of this crazy season.
Game #47 - 1/28 vs Milwaukee (125-112 W)
Dame is 1-3 against the Blazers since exiting for Milwaukee. Idk what that means for the trajectory of the final grading of this trade, but it seems to me the Blazers are winning. Deni did Deni things, scoring 30. Ayton did Ayton things (which is a pleasant surprise), posting a double-double of 21/14 with only two fouls. Sadly, Jerami didn’t have a great night, mainly because he only played 16 minutes while scoring 8 points on four shots. Ayton is doing the thing we hoped: play well and hopefully get traded for assets/picks. Jerami has battled some injuries this season, but when healthy is a certified bucket. Regardless of the trade situation, this team is feisty and unwilling to accept losses. Chauncey is coming into his own as a coach, slowly winning me over.
Game #48 - 1/30 vs Orlando (119-90 W)
Another defensive routing of the Magic. Who are these Portland Trail Blazers? Midway through Q2, this game got out of hand for Orlando, getting outscored 91-55 after Q1. Chauncey manages this team so well on the defensive end - they’re playing hard, fast, and unrelenting. It’s hard to put a finger on the turning point for this team, but it might’ve been putting Shaedon on the bench (wildly enough). We saw Scoot take advantage of his minutes off the bench as something “unpromised,” and maybe that’s what Shae is feeling, too. For someone like me who is more focused on the team's growth, the answer, being as simple as a lineup adjustment, is an acceptable answer. But if something more is generating the NBA’s 2nd best defense over the last seven games, I’d love to hear what it is.
Game #49 - 2/1 vs Phoenix (127-108 W)
A three-peat (sue me, Riley, I dare you). Obviously, three consecutive wins isn’t a three-peat, but we’re here for drama, and that’s what was provided on Saturday night. The Blazers took the lead at the 8:16 mark in Q1 and never looked back, trouncing the Suns to a 19-point victory. Maybe it was an Ayton revenge game, maybe it was a Toumani revenge game, or maybe this team, once again, collectively played sound basketball. Honestly, this Phoenix team may not be that good, and they’re finally getting exploited. Again, I don’t care about the answer (ok, maybe I found an answer). I love to see the growth of this team from the beginning of this season. Sadly, this game was overshadowed by the Luka/AD trade, as there were clips of guys on the Blazers bench and Suns bench looking at their phones and reacting to the news. But let’s not take away from these Portland Trail Blazers being the hottest team in the NBA.
Record: 3-0 (20-29)
Next Week’s Games: 2/3 vs Phoenix, 2/4 vs Indiana, 2/6 vs Sacramento, 2/8 @ Minnesota