Portland Trail Blazers: Playoffs or Bust

Heading into tonight's match up in Charlotte against the Bobcats, the Portland Trail Blazers have compiled a 24-15 record and are currently seeded fifth in the Western Conference.

Yet, the Blazers must improve on their consistency in many areas if they expect to regain respect from other teams in the league and bring back what Portland natives hope is round two of the "Rip City" era.

Outlined below are five major issues that Portland must settle if they are to earn a playoff berth for the first time in six years.

1. Find a consistent fourth quarter scorer other than Brandon Roy.

Brandon Roy has been clutch for Portland all season. Many fans across the nation tuned into TNT's national broadcast when Roy hit a game-winning three-pointer as time expired against the Houston Rockets.

The team's lone all-star is known throughout the association as a finisher because he is able to use his body control to drive to the basket nearly at will. Roy is also clutch at the free-throw line—he is an 84% free-throw shooter.

Yet, the Blazers have been plagued with inconsistency late in games.

Travis "Mr. Fourth Quarter" Outlaw has recently been a spark as he led the Blazers against the Bulls with a season high 33 points and hit a clinching shot late in the game on Thursday against the Nets. Yet, Outlaw has not been able to prove himself as a consistent threat late in games and will often fail to even attempt shots.

LaMarcus Aldridge has not been able to establish himself as a low-post threat and Greg Oden is frequently plagued by foul trouble.

Coach Nate McMillan has tried numerous things—most recently installing rookie Jerryd Bayless into the lineup in an effort to finish out games. This worked out well against New Jersey, as Bayless scored a career high 23 points, including hitting all 11 of his free-throw attempts.

This is not a great set of side-kicks for the all-star to rely on in late-game situations—especially if the team from the Rose City expects to make the playoffs.

2. Distribute playing time in a way that will keep the players satisfied while still winning games.

With arguably the deepest bench in the entire NBA, the Blazers have a lot of trouble giving ample playing time to each player.

Channing Frye, who McMillan says is his best shooter, rarely gets off the bench. Ike Diogu, who earlier this summer said he hoped to contribute to the team, rarely plays as well. Rookie Jerryd Bayless has only recently seen playing time while fellow rookie Nicolas Batum doesn't play down the stretch. Sergio Rodriguez has had to take a cut in playing time because of Bayless, Steve Blake, and Rudy Fernandez. 

And this is also all without Martell Webster who started at the small forward position last year. Webster will cut minutes from Fernandez, a crowd favorite, Batum, the developing rookie, and Outlaw, Portland's most clutch small forward.

What will McMillan do to keep his team satisfied? This transitions nicely into their next important issue to address.

3. Will GM Kevin Pritchard become creative before the trade deadline?

If the Blazers are going to make a trade, this year is perfect for it.

Will Pritchard, who has drafted and traded well (Roy, Aldridge, Batum, Fernandez, Bayless, Oden), cash in on the opportunity to bring in a veteran player? Will he trade Channing Frye or Ike Diogu? Will one of the three small forwards be traded?

Raef LaFrentz, who is set to make over $12.5 million this year, is an expiring contract that could enable Pritchard to bring in a big-name player. The Blazers could use an experienced point guard to help with late game situations. 

The team must also look to save money in order to lock up its young nucleus as their contracts begin to expire.

4. Stop fussing about Darius Miles.

Darius Miles was a cancer to the Trail Blazers. He will continue to be a cancer if the Blazers still allow his situation to become a media sensation.

Miles, who was a strong representation of the "Jail Blazer" era, played last night for the Memphis Grizzlies—costing the Blazers $18 million over the next two years. Additionally, the team must now pay a luxury tax. Instead of complaining, management should take this simple advice—just deal with it. 

This situation cannot be stopped. Nothing will be changed. Stop making excuses about poor judgment from previous years. Forget Miles because he has surly forgot about Portland (except for every time he cashes his pay check).

5. Play well after the All-Star break.

Winning at the end of the season is what Portland must do to gain a playoff spot. The team was just 13-17 after the break last year, a mark that will not cut it in this year's version of the wild, wild Western Conference.

With four teams (Dallas, Phoenix, Houston, Utah) breathing down their neck, the Blazers must finish strong if they really want to recreate "Rip City."  This will only happen if they are able to stay healthy and improve upon their chemistry.

The Trail Blazers are quickly asserting themselves back into relevancy in the NBA. They are no longer a pushover to other teams, as Portland shows great heart each time they step on the floor.

With quality wins over the Boston Celtics, New Orleans Hornets, and the Houston Rockets, they have shown many bright spots. It can be agreed upon that all Blazer fans hope for the day that they can hear long-time announcer Bill Schonely saying "It's Rip City Baby!"