The new year is upon us and the Trail Blazers are playing above expectations.
16 wins and 24 losses. 2.5 games out of the Western Conference Playoffs. Those are two things any Portland fan would have gladly accepted in the dreaded days of mid July. From that point in the summer to the the start of preseason, much of Portland had undergone a massive recalibration of expectations. With that adjustment in mind, Neil Olshey has given all of us in the Rose City a massive gift. The gift of being able to enjoy basketball with no expectations.
2013-14 was one of the most memorable seasons for most modern Trail Blazers fans. It was memorable for the monumental improvement in Portland’s play, but it was also twice as enjoyable due to the fact that the Trail Blazers were still perceived as a fringe team going into that season. Those perceptions flipped once they entered the 2014-15. They now stood as a veteran team that was was poised to build off of their playoff success from the previous year. That all changed in a moment. The only thing that burst more violently than Wesley Matthews‘ achilles was the dream of a legitimate Portland title contender.
It is darkest before dawn, and it certainly did get dark in the offseason. Currently the Trail Blazers have several things working in their favor: the lowest payroll in the league, a star backcourt, a coach that is steadfast in his approach, and a front office that believes in their general manager. While all of those things are huge, one thing stands out the most: Their ability to prove doubters wrong. Performing above expectations is one of the greatest gifts a franchise can give to their fan base, and Portland is delivering.
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Sure, eight games below .500 is not optimal, but would you trade it for the current misery going around the league? Cannibalism was already full blown in Phoenix before Eric Bledsoe went down with injury. The Suns were a fun team on the verge of a playoff run, they now sit 13-27. The Pelicans have possibly the most talented player in the league on their team, but the injury bug has them at a dismal 11-25. These are all problems that don’t plague the Trail Blazers.
We’ve had a run of bad luck in Portland without a doubt. Players have come and gone and major injuries have ravaged our hopes. However, this is a new era. Just after the turn of the new year, we sit at the cusp of the playoffs, despite being predicted as a Western Conference cellar dweller. The Trail Blazers are high on potential and low on expectation. Portland will blow some games, but they will also win some games against impossible odds. Remember the freedom of this season, because if the trophy is ever lifted in Portland, we will relish this time. A time when this was Portland’s team and nobody else’s.
2016 is here and the future is brighter than expected in Rip City.