Week 14

What a fun week for the Blazers. Going 3-1 with wins over a chaotic Heat team, a real contender in Orlando, and a team we should best in Charlotte. Youth is not a deterrent to winning for this team. Defense is. If we can play more complete on the defensive side of the ball, something we haven’t been able to do for a while, some of these close losses will turn into Ws. As I said last week, it will be interesting to see how things pan out from a trade deadline perspective since we have real assets to give to other teams. I’m hoping we can get some draft value or other young guys to build out the foundation of this team. I’d love to see us compete for a spot in the play-in since we’re 5.5 games out of 10th. But who knows? Jody will probably do something dumb and we’ll all shake our heads again.

Game #43 - 1/21 @ Miami (116-107 W)

Are the Blazers back, or is this a fluke against a weird Heat team? Who knows, and I don’t care because WE ARE STREAKING, BABY! This was a really complete game by the young squad that played great from tip to final buzzer. The Heat kept it competitive during the first half, and then whatever Chauncey told them at halftime kicked it into overdrive for a second-half routing. Ayton and Deni both had a double-double. Ayton, yes, you read that correctly. He had a good game. This man either plays well when he wants (rarely) or maybe realizes he needs to play better to increase his value. Regardless, helping this team look competent is necessary for him to move to another team. The Blazers HAVE to get rid of him, as this is one of a handful of good games he’s had this season.

Game #44 - 1/23 @ Orlando (101-79 W)

THREE AIN’T A FLUKE!?! My oh my. What is this Trail Blazers squad doing? They went up against a top team in the Magic and R.O.U.T.E.D. them. There is no way anyone saw the Blazers as the team that would have held Orlando to their lowest offensive point total of the season. Not I. Nothing stood out from an individual performance besides Ant being the leading scorer as he visited his hometown. As a team, we produced seven fewer turnovers and had six more blocks. This was the epitome of a find-a-way victory. What a win for this young team, and what a win for Chauncey and Co. This is tied for the longest streak on the season, and we would love to see it continue as we take a quick jaunt up to Charlotte.

Game #45 - 1/24 @ Charlotte (102-97 W)

Are we the best team in basketball right now? You have to consider it, at least, right? Ant continued his success on offense with 27 points, whereas Scoot has fallen off. In 23 minutes, Scoot only musted three shots and four assists. He had taken a tumble production-wise, and hopefully, we can see him return to his potent, offensive ways soon. With the assumption that roster changes are coming for this team, he must take on a more significant role offensively. It would be great to see him gain confidence in his shot (which we’ve already seen), but to the extent that gets him to LEAD the offense vs. being a facilitator or heat-check. He, Shaedon, and Clingan are the young future of this franchise, and seeing him take the steps needed to lead is a must as the second half of the season begins.

Game #46 - 1/26 vs Oklahoma City (118-108 L)

Snap back to reality, whoop, there goes gravity. A loss to the Thunder is nothing to scoff at, as they are not only the best in the West but hold the best record in the NBA. Maybe I spoke about Scoot returning to this successful offensive way into existence, or perhaps it was just timing that he had a couple of inefficient performances. Seeing this version of him is WAY more fun: 7/17 from the floor, 5/11 from three-point, 6/6 from the free throw line, collecting 25 points. His performance, combined with 28 from Deni and 24 from Toumani, proves we have something brewing on this team. We’re not there yet, but we can show our worth. We must improve our defense (a storyline for the last 7+ years).

Record: 3-1 (17-29)

Next Week’s Games: 1/28 vs Milwaukee, 1/30 vs Orlando, 2/1 vs Phoenix

Week 13

The cherry on top of this thumbs-down of a week was the win against Chicago. Definitely the most complete performance from the Blazers all week, with Scoot probably being the MVP of the week - highlighted by his 39-point performance against the Nets. He’s really coming into his own and proving his worth as the 3rd overall pick in last year’s draft. With guys like Jerami and Ayton not playing the best, their value is not helping their cause for being traded. Hopefully, things can pick up over the next couple of weeks.

Game #39 - 1/14 vs Brooklyn (132-114 L)

Please mark your calendars for Jan 14, 2026, when Scoot scores 40+, as this is when he reaches his maximum potential. It’s like a blood moon or something, and he evolves into Super Scoot. Not only were his 39 points a career-high, but he went 13/18 from the floor and (checks notes) 8/10 from deep!?! This man has clearly found his groove and is taking advantage of the shuffling of injuries on this Blazers roster and becoming a foundational piece of this offense. Yeah, we lost by 18 to the lowly Nets, but this season is not really about wins and losses; it’s about progress. And Scoot, baby, is making the progress we wanted. It’s still early, but we love to see this in Rose City.

Game #40 - 1/16 vs LA Clippers (118-89 L)

Another game, another blowout. The Clippers are a good team, so this isn’t disheartening. But it is a bummer to watch this team, who seem to be playing pretty well as a unit, lose this spectacularly to another team. It was an odd scoring night where Toumani and Ant were held scoreless, with Dalano Banton scoring 23 points. There's not much to take from this game besides an off night against a top-6 team in the West. We were overpowered from the tip, and the Clippers never looked back. We just got to move on to the next game, which is sadly against an (arguably) better team in Houston.

Game #41 - 1/18 vs Houston (125-103 L)

Welp, we held on longer than last game. Houston is one of the darlings of this season: taking the OKC formula and growing players from the draft with a little bit of veteran role-playing. Scoot came back into form, leading the Blazers in scoring with 21, with only four others scoring double-digit points. We got out-rebounded by 21, had 5 more turnovers, and committed 6 more fouls. Obviously, the TOs and fouls aren’t anything to scoff at, but getting out-rebounded by 21 is crazy in this day and age in the NBA. The League has too many bigs to let something like this happen. I hope Chauncey can coach the team on this and not let it happen again.

Game #42 - 1/19 vs Chicago (113-102 W)

After a smattering in the first quarter, the Blazers lead the entire second half. This is the kind of game you hope to see after getting squashed by two of the best in the West. Scoot, Dalano, and Deni all scored 20+ points, with Deni getting a triple-double and Ayton getting a double-double, scoring 15 and grabbing 13 boards. This again proved that Deni and Scoot are the foundational pieces of this team. Deni is coming to a team with at least a semblance of a direction (versus Washington) and fitting in almost too well. There is lots of positivity to end the week after losing by an average of 23 points in the other three games.

Record: 1-3 (14-28)

Next Week’s Games: 1/21 @ Miami, 1/23 @ Orlando, 1/24 @ Charlotte, 1/26 vs Oklahoma City

Week 12

The first week of 2025 is in the books, and once again, we had a 1-3 week. Shockingly, there is a lot of positive info to take from this week: Scoot is gaining confidence in his bench role, Deni is doing Deni things, and Ant and Shaedon are crushing it in the starting guard spots. With the trade deadline just under a month away, seeing what the Blazers do will be interesting. Personally, I hope we get rid of AT LEAST two guys. Ayton should not be on this team come Feb 6th. And then I hope we can get some picks for someone like Jerami or Anfernee, maybe even Robert Williams. We are not typically a “trade deadline team,” but crazier things have happened. So let’s hope for crazy.

Game #35 - 1/6 @ Detroit (118-115 L)

What a bummer. Outside of a 21-point lead midway through Q2, this was a close contest, with the Blazers leading most of the game. Ant’s 36-point performance was overshadowed by some late playmaking by Tim Hardaway Jr and Jalen Duren down the stretch. Cade Cunningham, the former #1 pick in the 2021 Draft, posted a 36/6/9 stat line, ultimately being too much for this Blazer defense. This is a tough one to swallow, as it would’ve been nice to continue our momentum after besting the Bucks on Saturday evening. There’s been a shift from losing by a shit ton to losing by single digits. This shift is proof that our team is making the necessary adjustments to improve as a whole.

Game #36 - 1/8 @ New Orleans (119-100 W)

A wire-to-wire victory over a CJ McCollum-led team is a MASSIVE morale boost. The Pelicans are a “what is going on with you” kinda team, and it’s very head-scratching. If you look at the core of their squad, it’s brimming with potential: CJ, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, Zion, Dejounte Murray, Jose Alvarado, and others coming off the bench. They should have way more than 7 wins. Period. Yet, they will most likely join the Blazers in the Lottery in June. From a Blazer’s perspective, Scoot seems to be accepting his bench role and appears to be doing well as a “tempo changer” to Shaedon and Ant. The starting 5 of Ant, Shaedon, Deni, Tounami, and Ayton (hopefully soon to be Clingan) look solid. The team is young and needs to grow.

Game #37 - 1/9 @ Dallas (117-111 L)

A back-and-forth game that ultimately resulted in a loss for the Blazers. Leading for 92-ish% of the game doesn’t make us feel better about the loss, either. Scoot is showing out and, clearly, feeling more confident in his “coming off the bench” role. Scoring 20 points on 3-7 shooting and TWELVE OF TWELVE from the line is huge! He created a ton of opportunities for himself and was the best guard in a Blazer jersey. Clingan getting a double-double was nice to see, too, as he gets more comfortable in the fast-paced speed of the NBA. The biggest issue was going four minutes in the final 4:30 scoreless. That is not a way to win a game against a Western Conference juggernaut. Tough loss for a young team. Can only hope they learn from it.

Game #38 - 1/11 vs Miami (119-98 L)

Very much the opposite result of the Dallas game, with the opposite result. We trailed for 96% of the game and got smoked in the 4th. With the Jimmy Butler saga closing in Miami, Tyler Herro stepped up in a big way with a 32/5/5 stat line. Ant and Shaedon were the only bright spots during this game, as they had solid outings. But you can’t lose the TO battle while winning the rebound battle and assume it’ll make up for the former. I think every Heat team ever to exist has been feisty; you can’t count them out, even if their best player is being disciplined unnecessarily. The Blazers are beating teams they probably should, losing to teams they’re worse than, and occasionally beating teams they aren’t supposed to. This wasn’t a game I would’ve chalked up as a W, but knowing they aren’t getting blown out as often (minus this game) is great to see.

Record: 1-3 (13-25)

Next Week’s Games: 1/14 vs Brooklyn, 1/16 vs LA Clippers, 1/18 vs Houston, 1/19 vs Chicago

Week 11

Capping a slightly sad week off with a win against Milwaukee was an exceptional way to end Saturday night. Maybe we get up more for Dame. Perhaps we are hitting a new stride in forcing closer games. Regardless of the answer, seeing this team look slightly cohesive is excellent. With the trade deadline 5ish weeks away, now is when we’ll see half this roster mentioned in packages across the league. I would love to see what we can get for someone like Anfernee or Ayton. Maybe Jodi will want to keep everyone and screw us like she has the last handful of years. Who knows. But one thing is sure: this team is becoming a joy to watch. And that is all we can ask for at this point.

Game #32 - 12/30 vs Philadelphia (125-103 L)

After Anfernee made a three 16 seconds into the game, that was about as good as it got. Philly is a really good team that houses three of the best players in the NBA: Embiid, George, and Maxey. This game wasn’t supposed to be close. And it wasn’t. Outside of PG13 getting into early foul trouble, they took advantage of the talent disparity between them and the Blazers. Ant is still tearing it up and seems to be in a groove, having scored 22+ in his last four games, shooting 46% from the field and 44% from 3-point. It’s great to see him trending up when the beginning of his season has been a roller coaster. Also, maybe let’s not turn the ball over 26 times? That might help us, too.

Game #33 - 1/2 @ LA Lakers (114-106 L)

A seemingly close game was out of reach from the jump. An Anthony Davis absence didn’t help this team succeed against a middling Lakers squad. The positives? Ant continued his hot streak, and Deni had a triple-double. Deni is QUICKLY becoming a foundational piece for this team (if he is still around in 3-4 seasons). His ability to make a difference is exceptional and necessary for this team lacking defensive prowess. Once Matisse returns, it will be nice to have at least two guys able to make an impact, unlike Ayton… I don’t know what is more frustrating: getting swindled into thinking he was actually good or knowing him coming to Portland wasn’t great and forcing ourselves to believe there was a chance it could work. Six points and six rebounds in 21 minutes is horrendous. I hope we can get something out of him in a trade.

Game #34 - 1/4 @ Milwaukee (105-102 W)

What a win! How the Blazers are 2-2 against Dame in a Bucks jersey is beyond me. This was one of our best complete performances. Ant torched the Bucks' defense in every which way. Deni did everything (once again) and even blazed through a Kris Middleton and slammed one down, kicking the back of the backboard. Although it might not show every night, this team has heart. I’ve said it a few times recently, but Deni and Ant will either make this franchise happy over the next few years or make another franchise really happy. Hopefully, we can get Jerami back into the rotation soon, as it would be great to see his influence on this new version of a Chauncey-led team.

Record: 1-2 (12-22)

Next Week’s Games: 1/6 @ Detroit, 1/8 @ New Orleans, 1/9 @ Dallas, 1/11 vs Miami

Week 10

What a week for the Blazers! Chauncey was 0-1, and Bjorkgren was 2-0. Maybe it’s time to consider changing the tides. Perhaps it’s time to accept the fact of Chauncey not being a good coach or being able actually to make adjustments. Or, maybe this team is ass, and it kinda doesn’t matter. Either way, it’s great to see a spark from a team beating both a lousy and a good team in back-to-back games. Hopefully, this energy will continue to ride the team into a positive wave at the beginning of 2025.

Game #29 - 12/23 @ Dallas (132-108 L)

A game that started with some hope of Luka not playing QUICKLY turned into a massacre. As everyone knows, Luka is one of the most dominant players in the NBA, let alone the world. His influence turns the tide of a game, even if he’s on the sideline, kinda like Tom Brady. It wasn’t even halftime before this game was over. The Blazers were outmatched, and Deni came off the bench to provide some spark it was a sad, sad game. This is about when the Blazers need to figure out if the tank is real or if they will be OKC from about four years ago. Do you want to compete knowing you’re a lesser team? Or do you want to suck for the latter half of every game intentionally? Either is fine at this point, but you kinda need to pick a lane.

Game #30 - 12/26 vs Utah (120-118 W)

Is Scoot Henderson the real deal? Is he better than Brandon Miller? Did we get the second-best player in the 2023 draft? It’s way too early to tell, but an assumed franchise pillar getting his first game-winner is tasty and sparks some joy into this tumultuous young team. Scoot talks here about the play and the game overall. Now that the Blazers have two last-second game-winning shots over their last four games, maybe that pull into a more positive direction that I was hoping for is happening. It has been great to see the core of Scoot, Ant, Jerami, Deni, and Shaedon playing consistently over the last few weeks. Maybe it was a mediocre game against the bottom-feeding Jazz. Perhaps it was Nate Bjorkgren subbing in for Chauncey, as he takes some time after losing his late grandmother. Either way, a win is a win in the NBA, and every team is looking to get them.

Game #31 - 12/28 vs Dallas (126-122 W)

Well, slap my face and call me an idiot. That’s a phrase, right? Apparently Luka on the sideline doesn’t have the same effect as being on the court. And Kyrie putting up 46 points won’t do the trick against this young Blazer team led by Shaedon, Ayton, Deni, Scoot, and Ant, all scoring 19+ points. It was a weirdly balanced effort from *checks notes* Nate Bjorkgren, again? Is this man the reason we can succeed? Is the Billups era over? There are a lot of questions to ask about this team that just beat a much better Mavs team coming off a Finals appearance last season. The hype train is real for Bjorkgren, and maybe we need to start a petition for him to succeed Chauncey. Regardless of how it happened or why it happened, it still happened.

Record: 2-1 (11-20)

Next Week’s Games: 12/30 vs Philadelphia, 1/2 @ LA Lakers, 1/4 @ Milwaukee