Portland Trail Blazers Demanding to Be Recognized Among Elite NBA Teams
A snapshot of today's Western Conference standings might have caught many by surprise just months ago.
Tuesday night's 102-97 overtime win against the Toronto Raptors makes the Portland Trail Blazers 26-7 and puts them within 0.5 games of the top-seeded Golden State Warriors and their league-best record. The 23-8 Memphis Grizzlies aren't far behind in third place.
Head coach Terry Stotts spoke with reporters about his team's start following Tuesday's game:
"I mean, I'm pleased. I think anybody would have taken this record going into 2015. The most important thing is that we've still got 49 games to go. We're not even halfway through. It's good to be where we are, but we play a good team on Saturday and like I said, we've got a lot of games to go. I don't think anybody is taking it for granted or being complacent about it. We've put a lot of expectation on ourselves.
"
The Raptors game was a particularly appropriate conclusion to 2014, another comeback effort highlighting the squad's renewed grit and determination.
As The Oregonian's Mike Richman observed apropos the latest table-turning, "It was the fifth time this season the Blazers have won when trailing after three quarters and the ninth time Portland has won after trailing by double-digits."
Perhaps fueled by title ambitions that suddenly seem well within reach, the Trail Blazers have thus far surpassed the West's usual suspects while outscoring opponents by an average of 7.5 points per contest.
Whereas the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers claimed those top three spots a season ago, each of those teams is presently ranked no higher than sixth out West. Portland has figured prominently in the bizarro world that's ensued, winning nine of its last 10 games after stringing together a nine-game winning streak in November.
That the Trail Blazers have done so in an unforgivingly competitive conference is particularly impressive.
Aside from signing center Chris Kaman this summer, general manager Neil Olshey made little offseason noise, preferring instead to build upon last season's semifinals appearance in the playoffs.
While organizations like the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks have busily upgraded their rosters, Portland's on-paper pedigree remains largely unchanged—it's perhaps even a step behind its rivals in terms of sheer talent volume.
But the results don't lie, and Charles Barkley has officially taken note. On Christmas Day, the Inside the NBA analyst said (h/t The Oregonian's Mike Tokito), "If I had to...I might take the Portland Trail Blazers coming out of the West."
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry offered a similar assessment Tuesday night after his 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists proved insufficient for the East's top-seeded team.
"They're one of the best teams in the NBA," he told reporters after the game. "They've got two All-Stars over there. They're a complete team."
Certainly more complete than the 2013-14 iteration. That second unit ranked last league-wide with just 23.6 points per contest, a mark that's modestly improved to 27 points per game this season according to HoopsStats.com.
The even more dramatic revolution has occurred on the defensive end.
After allowing opponents 104.7 points per 100 possessions a season ago, Stotts' club is only giving up 98.6 points per 100 possessions through the campaign's first 33 games, which ESPN.com indicates is good for the league's third-most efficient defense.
Shooting guard Wesley Matthews addressed the improved defense during Tuesday's postgame press conference:
"We believe. That confidence is what gives our offense confidence. When we're not making shots, we know that we can rely on our defense. That's different than years past. There were times we weren't able to do that. I don't know if we would have been able to do it last year. But we know that if we're not making shots, if we continue to do what we do defensively, we'll give ourselves the opportunity to get our offense back in the game.
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Portland conceded at least 114 points to the Spurs in each of their first three meetings in last season's semifinals, a microcosm of the defensive liability that precluded a credible championship effort.
This time, things are different.
The Trail Blazers rank first league-wide in opponents' effective field-goal percentage (45.8 percent), opponents' three-point efficiency (29.1 percent) and share of opponents' points produced by three-pointers (15.5 percent).
Matthews' stout perimeter defense has had something to do with that, and—even amid the worst shooting season of his career at 40 percent—Nic Batum's length on the wing has been a formidable deterrent in its own right.
Meanwhile, an interior rotation comprised of three-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, 7-footer Robin Lopez and Kaman serves as a respectable backstop.
Though the interior gives up 45.5 points in the paint per contest (No. 25 league-wide), Portland ranks seventh in blocked shots (5.4 per game). While the club doesn't force many turnovers, it has limited opponents to an average of just 19.1 assists—the league's second-best mark.
There's never been any doubt about this team's ability to shoot its way out of a bind. With two players averaging at least 21.9 points per contest and capable of going off for 30—or more—on any given night, the Trail Blazers still boast a top-10 offense that posts 106 points per 100 possessions.
That kind of two-way proficiency bodes well for Portland's chances of taking an already-impressive operation to the next level.
It may already be there.
Unless otherwise noted, advanced statistics courtesy of Team Rankings and ESPN.com.
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