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Blazers: 7 Reasons for the 2015-16 Season

By Spencer Gordon

Feb 19, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after hitting a three point shot over during the fourth quarter of the game against the Golden State Warriors at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Lillard scored 51 points as the Blazers won 137-105. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after hitting a three point shot over during the fourth quarter of the game against the Golden State Warriors at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Lillard scored 51 points as the Blazers won 137-105. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 13, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; General view of an official Spalding basketball on the floor before the NBA All Star Saturday Night at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; General view of an official Spalding basketball on the floor before the NBA All Star Saturday Night at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

1. The NBA Media.

There has been one common theme in the entire Blazers organization. Whether it’s management, coaching or the players, one word has been the sole motivator for this season’s success. Doubt.

Starting in the summer, every media outlet blasted Portland with their predictions and expectations. Some said no more than 30 wins, some said no more than 20, and some even said they’d be threatening Philadelphia and Los Angeles as one of the worst teams in the league.

Next came the calls for a roster shake-up, with McCollum, Leonard and Crabbe looking like valuable trade assets to pair with a nice money incentive. The calls for Portland to nab a better post presence led to names like Love, Dwight Howard and even Greg Monroe after Portland couldn’t convince him over the summer. Again, Portland stuck to their roots and kept pushing.

Then it was Lillard’s all-star snub. Despite having a better year than last year and leading Portland to success, the coaches overlooked Lillard again in favor of (sigh) Aldridge.

You can then couple all of the team’s doubt with the individual doubt cast upon each player on the roster. For the Blazers that stayed, most had to combat the press slamming them for their inexperience, while the new additions had their own share of dismissive press after none of them held major roles on previous teams.

After all of this doubt was thrust upon Portland, everyone in the Blazers organization used it as motivation. Constantly hearing how the playoffs were impossible, or the columns about a “smart” three year rebuild, the Blazers have taken all of the criticism and fueled it into one of the most remarkable seasons in Blazers history.

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So to everyone doubting this team in the playoffs, thinking they can’t make it out of the first round… please keep fueling the fire.

There is no way Portland makes the playoffs without everyone saying they wouldn’t.