What this means for the Blazers
No one should ever root for injuries or player complications to hinder a team’s success. But, look: these things happen.
Last year, the Western Conference playoff picture was incredibly tight. The Blazers won 49 games and only squeaked past the ninth-seeded Nuggets by three games.
This offseason, the West figured to be just as deadlocked. However, with the unpredictability of health and trade requests, the conference looks to be a bit looser in this regard.
The Blazers will still have to fight each and every night to remain atop the West’s standings, especially if they want to retake home court advantage. But the tall task of just making the playoffs has become a little less overwhelming.