Beyond The Draft: Trail Blazers' "To Do" List

Note: The following discussion is not about particular positions or individuals. Nor is it
         concerned with speculation concerning the draft or free agency. Its simply a
         short list of percieved weak points in the team which need to be addressed
         in order to advance to the next level.

It's hard to argue with success.

And the season just completed by the Portland Trail Blazers was, by all standards, a success.

The team improved their regular-season record by 13 wins. They surged in the late season to share the Northwest Division crown with the Denver Nuggets. They finished fourth overall in the Western Conference, gaining a homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

All this, while fielding one of the youngest teams in NBA history...

Do you feel a "but..." coming?

Well, here it is:

But...the Trail Blazers were exposed as a team lacking in areas only the elite title-contenders display night in and night out.

I want to highlight four areas the team needs to improve on, in order to step into the rare air of "championship contender".

Win on the road

The Blazers know how to win at home, sporting one of the best home records in the league. And they actually had some impressive road wins—most notably, in games east of the Mississippi River.

Portland's big downfall was their dismal road record against Western Conference foes.

Intra-conference games, as we know, make up the bulk of the regular season schedule. The best teams find ways to prevail on the road—especially against potential playoff foes. 

A common goal of most elite teams is to win all home games and at least half of all road games. For title contenders, this usually manifests as a handful of home losses and a .650 or better road record.

The key element to any successful road team is a fearless, us-against-the-world attitude and a deep-seated focus on the league's ultimate prize. I believe the Blazers have this inherent trait—albeit in a primitive, undeveloped form.

Chemistry, experience and maturity will eventually draw it out.

Killer Instinct

Ever watch "Wild Kingdom" or "Untamed World"? If so, you've seen the cute little lion cubs toy with their food. They had no part in its procurement. As the cutelings get a little older though, and they become responsible for their next meal, the play ceases, and a quick and sure kill becomes the modus operandus.

In this analogy, The Trail Blazers are adolescent lions. More than any Portland teams of the recent past, they are learning to put opponents away.

Still, there were a few games where the weaker team was allowed to escape and live another day.

Portland has a tendency to play to the level of its opponent. This is not the trait of a champion.

The first cousin of "Killer Instinct" is "Toughness".

As with most young teams, the Trail Blazers have a reputation as being "soft". Joel Przybilla and Brandon Roy modeled toughness this year, but it needs to become a team identity.

The 'softness' was put on center stage in game one of the playoff series with the Houston Rockets.

Portland looked like a ninety-pound nerd slapping the schoolyard bully with a wet noodle. Houston stole the homecourt advantage, took it home, and never gave it back.

Winners carry themselves with an aire of confidence and boldness which says "We're not moving aside. You'll have to go through us!"

Defensive rebounding

Portland was among the best in the league at gathering their own misses.

This distinction was nullified however, by allowing their opponents too many second chances. The culprit in most cases was poor positioning by the forward and center.

Ultimately, this weakness can be traced back to inferior backcour defense. The frontcourt players had to move out of rebounding position to cover for inadequate perimeter defense.

It should be noted that one Mr. Greg Oden, a rebounding machine, (also a fouling machine) found himself on the bench early and often.

Defense is a hallmark of the NBA greats and should be a practice priority for Portland in the off-season.

Fan Apathy

Who ever thought these two words would be linked together regarding Portland?

Trail Blazer fans have always been some of the greatest fans in league history.

Admittedly, this is more of a pet peeve based on my own observation.

Living in southern Oregon, I don't get to attend many Trail Blazer games. But in the few times I've been in the Rose Garden, a strange phenomenon has always struck me: The most rabid fans are in the upper reaches, while the more 'dignified' sit-on-your-hands crowd fills the lower bowl, close to the floor.

Now don't get me wrong—the Garden rocks! And its one of the most feared venues for NBA opponents.

It just seems it could be much more so, if the 'best' seats would become the most vocal, crazy seats.

In my opinion, Blazermania has yet to reach its historic proportions.

When I begin to see those season ticket holders hoisting signs, spilling beer and shouting down the Kobes, James' and Garnetts in the first three quarters with fourth quarter intensity, then I'll know we're getting close.

Until then, we have some things to work on...