Portland Trail Blazers: 30 Teams in 30 Days

2008 Statistics

Finished 54-28, second in Northwest Division, fourth in Western Conference

Postseason

First Round: Lost to Houston Rockets 4-2

Key Additions

Victor Claver via draft, Dante Cunningham via draft, Jeff Pendergraph via trade, Patrick Mills via draft, Andre Miller via free agency

Key Losses

Sergio Rodriguez via trade, Channing Frye via free agency

After failing to make the playoffs five years in a row, the Portland Trail Blazers had their best year in nearly 10 years thanks, in part, to a potential future MVP in Brandon Roy. Roy and his band of fellow talented youths have led the Blazers back to the top of the Western Conference and are now eyeing a championship in the near future.

Roy is only going into his fourth year and is already being named among the top shooting guards in the league with the likes of Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant. Last year, he averaged career highs in points with 23, rebounds with five, and field goal percentage with 48 percent. He did a lot of growing up last year, and not only showed he is a top player in the regular season, but at the next level as well.

Even though the favored Blazers could not beat out the upset-minded Houston Rockets, Roy played like an all-star and someone who is ready to lead a team to a championship really soon. In the six-game series, he averaged 27 points and five rebounds leading the team in scoring. Roy is the main reason this Blazers team is back as a Western Conference power and is going to make sure this will be the first of many postseason runs.

Like any successful franchise, there is a little man who has his big man in the paint waiting to clean up his messes and be a reliable post presence. Kobe had his Shaq, and Brandon Roy has his LaMarcus Aldridge. Obviously, I'm not comparing Kobe and Shaq to Roy and Aldridge, but this Blazers combination could be tops in the league in a few years.

Aldridge can play the power forward and center position and is going into his fourth year as well and like Roy, had the best statistical season of his young career so far. He averaged 18 points and a little under eight rebounds per game in his third season with Portland. Aldridge is a reliable post presence and has a consistent jump shot to remain as the second scoring option for the Blazers.

Despite having two of the best young superstars on its team, the attention has been mostly featured on a player who only averages nine points and seven rebounds per game. If it was anybody not named Greg Oden, not many people would care, but because of the name people are starting to wonder when he is finally going to be able to break out of his shell and be the last piece to the puzzle the Blazers need.

Oden was selected as the No. 1 pick two years ago, and due to a number of injuries plaguing his young career he has not had a true chance to develop and prove himself. Even last year when he was able to finally play, he missed 21 games and only averaged nine points and seven rebounds. Oden will be fighting with Joel Pyrzbilla for minutes and for a starting spot as the team's center.

Over the offseason, the Blazers managed to bring in some veteran leadership at the point guard position. Portland managed to steal Andre Miller away from the Philadelphia 76ers and he will be expected to become the team's new starting point guard. He averaged 16 points and seven assists last year leading the 76ers to a postseason appearance.

The Blazers lineup is very young with Pryzbilla, when he stars, as the team's veteran at 29 years old. With Miller inserted into the starting lineup, his veteran leadership could be another deciding factor that leads Portland deep into the postseason.

Travis Outlaw has seen his career finally blossom in the past two years as he has hit double digits in scoring for the first time. He has spent all six years of his career with the Blazers and averaged 13 points and four rebounds last year and will share time at the small forward spot with Nicolas Batum, if not become the starter. Batum is not a reliable scorer and Outlaw would add some more scoring to a Blazers lineup that could always give Roy and Aldridge some help.

The bench will be led by Rudy Fernandez, Jerryd Bayless, and Steve Blake. Fernandez has become a fan favorite among the Blazers fan base because of his high flying acrobatics and his consistent shooting ability. He averaged 10 points and three rebounds last year coming off the bench as a spark to fuel the Blazers fire.

Last year's first round draft pick Jerryd Bayless is waiting for his time to shine and right now appears to be the third string point guard between Miller and Blake. He only played in 53 games while averaging four points and could see more minutes to get some experience as he will probably become the team's future point guard. Steve Blake, who was the point guard last year, had the one of the best year's of his career averaging 11 points and five assists.

The Blazers are becoming one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA, and with Brandon Roy developing into one of the league's premiere players, the Blazers could be thinking championship soon. The team has some growing up to do, but if it can manage a run in the postseason, there are not many players or teams that could stop the momentum they build up.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Andre Miller

SG-Brandon Roy

SF-Travis Outlaw/Nicolas Batum

PF-LaMarcus Aldridge

C-Joel Pryzbilla/Greg Oden

This is Pt. 23 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.