3 lineups that could make-or-break the Portland Trail Blazers’ trip to Orlando

When the Portland Trail Blazers resume play, Terry Stotts will have the luxury of more creativity with his lineups. Here are three lineups that could decide their fate in Orlando.

Perhaps this makes me crazy — if you tied me to a chair and told me I couldn’t escape until I named five teams with a deeper top-to-bottom roster than the Portland Trail Blazers, we would be there for quite some time.

It isn’t quite to the tier of those early-2000s, where the Blazers could roll out their second unit exclusively and win 45-to-50 games, but if health permits, Portland will be rolling in Disney World poised to take down Mickey Mouse and his entire clubhouse.

Terry Stotts hasn’t quite let on how lineups could configure, and rightfully so. But in a best-case scenario, it probably appears to be something of this kind:

Starters: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Trevor Ariza, Zach Collins (or Carmelo Anthony, if he comes) and Jusuf Nurkic.

Bench: Anfernee Simons, Gary Trent Jr., Nassir Little, Carmelo Anthony (or Zach Collins) and Hassan Whiteside.

The great conundrum of today is found in deciphering what Portland should do with its frontcourt. It’s a great problem to have, trying to decide who anchors the second unit between Nurkic and Whiteside, and if the Bosnian star will be ushered in right away.

Skip Bayless recently referred to the Portland Trail Blazers as the most dangerous potential No. 8 seed, and challenger to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference’s First Round. And while he’s largely known for entertainment, more so than substance and reputable takes, it’s certainly a reasonable sentiment.

The two teams to watch the most, are unquestionably the Memphis Grizzlies and Lakers. And with that in mind, here are three lineups that figure to make-or-break Portland’s seventh postseason bid.