Gaining the 3 Seed Gives the Portland Trail Blazers an Easier Path to the Western Conference Finals
By Jakob Ashlin
The Rockets and Jazz Are Peaking
While the Thunder had a rough second half of the season, the opposite happened for the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets.
The Jazz own the second best record in the entire NBA since the All-Star break. The only team ahead of them is the Houston Rockets.
Both of these teams won a playoff series last postseason and have multiple stars. The reason why the Thunder have been able to win against the Blazers in the regular season is due to the play of their superstars and elite defenses. The Jazz lead the league in defensive efficiency since the All-Star break, and Harden is in the midst of a historical offensive season.
The Efficiency Landscape since the All-Star Break, what jumps out? pic.twitter.com/I3ZWKh66Xw
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) April 8, 2019
The Thunder have not been as sharp defensively, and we already addressed the situation with Paul George.
Next. Portland Trail Blazers: A Full First Round Gameplan Against the Oklahoma City Thunder. dark
Sometimes, talent is not even the main factor heading into the playoffs, instead it can be who is peaking at the right time. The Jazz and the Rockets are the two hottest teams in the association, and the Blazers are fortunate not to face either one of them.