Week 16

What a fantastic couple of weeks from the bright-future Blazers. Going on a 10-win over 12-game run is pretty insane when you think about the expectations set at the beginning of the season. There are lots of positive things to take from this past week: OT W over Phoenix, stellar defensive performances against Indy and Sacramento, and everyone playing great as a team. This team is close to figuring out how to compete for a spot in the playoffs, and while it might not be this year, next season has a lot to be excited about.

Game #50 - 2/3 vs Phoenix (121-119 OT W)

It was a back-and-forth game that gave the Blazers an OT victory and fourth consecutive win (producing the best record in the league over the last 9 games, too). This team is so damn resilient. If it weren’t for a Royce O’Neale three with 2.1 seconds left to send the game to OT, we would’ve won it on regulation. The Sun’s starters scored a collective 63 points, with 61 coming from Durant and Booker. They needed to depend on their bench and flimsy roster to get to OT against these RED-HOT Blazers. Then you look at the balanced scoring from Portland — Ayton scoring 25-point triple-double, Deni scoring 24, Toumani scoring 17, Jerami scoring 14, Ant scoring 13, and Scoot scoring 15 off the bench. Ayton got complete revenge over his former team with his big night, scoring 9 of the 14 OT points and collecting 5 rebounds (4 offensive). Again, idk what sparked this productive play from Ayton, but no one is upset about it. This team might be made up of small pieces, but these seem to be the pieces to a bright future Blazers.

Game #51 - 2/4 vs Indiana (112-89 W)

A WHOLE HAND OF CONSECUTIVE VICTORIES. Man, oh man, are the Blazers red hot and rolling. It helps to have the home crowd behind you, but holding someone like Tyrese Haliburton to 0 points on 0/3 shooting is insane. If I had to peg the team identity as one thing, I’d probably say accountability: they’re switching on assignments, making the extra pass (even two or three), and not getting bogged down by mistakes. Not only that, but they’re also leading the league in net rating and defense, something that hasn’t happened in YEARS. Not only that, but they never trailed in this game. I’m sure that’s happened this season before (maybe), but I wouldn’t count on it having happened more than once. Chauncey’s contract is up at the end of this season, and this success clearly proves his worth to the organization and the players. It all depends upon how the post-All-Star Break goes and if they tank, once again, or continue this new way of winning if he’ll be back for the 2025-26 season.

Game #52 - 2/6 vs Sacramento (108-102 W)

I feel Chauncey will be back next year after these six wins in a row?!? A back-and-forth game vs. the Kings where newly acquired Zach LeVine wasn’t enough to stop the best team in the National Basketball Association (over the last few weeks). Ant led the team in scoring with 30, followed by Shaedon with 24. They didn’t really lock anyone up, but no one going off is the success for winning games against loaded squads. As I’ve said before, this team is both young and figuring out its identity. This streak of 11 games where they’ve won 10 is 1) insane and 2) such a good foundation for next season regarding “look what we did last year.” Who knows what this will lead to for the rest of the season, but we’re getting this production from second and third-year players, which is excellent, especially against teams that are actually good, not just lottery teams. Also, Clingan is still proving to be a beast down low.

Game #53 - 2/8 @ Minnesota (114-98 L)

Did we run out of magic or have a not-so-great game against a better team? It kinda seems to be the latter. Being up 84-76 to start Q4 and then only scoring 14 in the final 12 mins is not the norm for this team. And the TWolves’ defense isn’t THAT amazing to outscore a hot team by 24 in the final quarter. Obviously, it doesn’t help when you shoot 7/35 from three-point range, but shooting 3/17 from the field in Q4 is what will hurt a team. All this talk of accountability has one thinking that it wasn’t present during the game's final quarter. Maybe the whole team hit a mental brick wall. Maybe we needed to sub off guys going cold to inject some juice into the rotation. Who knows. But this kind of meltdown performance isn’t something I’d guess we will see anytime soon. All you can do is erase it from your memory and move on.

Record: 3-1 (23-30)

Next Week’s Games: 2/10 @ Denver, 2/12 @ Denver, 2/20 vs LA Lakers, 2/22 vs Charlotte

Week 15

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

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