Five Tweaks the Blazers Can Make to Get Deep in the Playoffs Next Year

The Blazers have been a team on the cusp for what seems like a very long time. Too long, for most of Blazer Nation.

This year, with the addition of Ray Felton and the first whole year for Gerald Wallace in a black-and-red uniform, the Blazers may not be too far away from their first second-round appearance in more than a decade.

Here are a few mild tweaks the Blazers can do to improve their standings for the playoffs come the end of next season.

Rotate to the Open Man in the Corner

The Blazers have typically been one of the poorest three-point shooting teams in the NBA. While stats don't tell the whole tale, this needs to be addressed.

Adding Ray Felton at the guard position is an upgrade over Andre Miller percentage-wise, but Nic Batum needs to take more corner three-pointers on the swing. 

One big boost will come in the form of Felton's ability to play pick-and-roll with Aldridge. Most teams will collapse on two finishers as good as those two and that's going to leave someone open, whether it be Batum or Wesley Matthews.

Playing Gerald Wallace and Batum at the same time - as Nate McMillan has suggested Batum could play SG next year - may lend itself to more three-point opportunities as well. Wallace is a slasher both on and off the dribble and his ability to drive the lane will lend itself to more kick-outs.

Up the Tempo

Ray Felton has the uncanny ability to run the break no matter the, er, weight of the situation. In previous years the Blazers have been one of the slowest offensive teams in the league. With Felton at the point, that may all change.

While LaMarcus Aldridge connected for a dizzyingly high number of alley-oops last season, they were mostly back-door cuts. The Blazers could benefit from a more traditional fast-break offense.

They'll have to pick which moments to commit to the break. Depending on the opposing team and situation, playing a zone defense with good outlet passers on the wings may lend itself to a few more opportunities for easy buckets.

The Blazers will have to be careful not to over-commit but with athletic forwards in Aldridge, Nic Batum and Gerald Wallace, Felton should be able to pick the right moments to get up and run. 

Let Brandon Roy Be a Leader off the Bench

If he can adjust to it, Brandon Roy could be one of the best bench players in the league.

Roy's ability to score and lead a team hasn't escaped him entirely, it just isn't present for 48 minutes of continuous basketball.

By coming off the bench, Roy can be the Blazers' version of Manu Ginobili or Jason Terry. The Blazers are going to need him since most of their bench players will be fairly green. 

Coach Nate McMillan is going to have to figure out how to rotate Wesley Matthews, Brandon Roy, Nolan Smith, Nic Batum and Gerald Wallace through the 2 and 3 spots on the floor.

That's a formidable bunch of guys who will see serious minutes and could be starters on other teams (with the exception of Nolan, most likely).

If Brandon Roy can come off the bench and not only score but set the pace of the game and provide much-needed relief when the rest of the team is gassed, he could very well be the Blazers' secret weapon.

Find a Way for Chris Johnson to Get Some Minutes

Last year proved to every Blazer fan that Chris Johnson could be something of a diamond in the rough. 

Unfortunately, he's very, very rough. Despite a bone-headed display of emotion in the playoffs last year, Johnson shows real talent for defense and has a nose for the ball.

Even better, Marcus Camby is a great non-scoring, rebounding center for Johnson to learn from. Time in the gym with Camby will be crucial for Johnson's development, and time on the court will give him a chance to use what he's learned.

Johnson is young, and he needs a vote of confidence from Nate McMillan. Giving him more than garbage-time minutes next year may let him move towards the becoming the eventual replacement for Camby and soften the blow if Greg Oden never gets fully healthy or leaves Portland altogether.

Win on the Road

The Blazers have had an iron grip on their home court in recent memory but away from Rip City, they've struggled. 

The black-and-red finished just 18-23 on the road last year and they need to find a way to surge forward when not at home.

Although I hate to say it, reports during Andre Miller's tenure as a Trail Blazer suggested he didn't show too much concern when the team was losing. Without him on the squad, there may be some kind of difference in attitude.

Overall, the Blazers need to get out of the mindset that they're a "growing" team. With Felton, Roy, Aldridge, Wallace and Camby they've got a real firm set of veterans who not only act as a counter-argument to the "young team" designation but can act as leaders in times of hardship as well.

If the Blazers can manage to break even or even better, go 23-18 on the road next year they'll have significantly increased their playoff standing and confidence when heading into hostile territory come playoff time. To do that, they'll need real leadership from their veterans.