The Portland Trail Blazers’ three scrimmage games don’t have a bearing on their Playoff games, but there will be tons to watch for in the meantime.
There’s a chance you didn’t hear it over the obnoxiously-loud fireworks, but on Jul. 4, the NBA schedule makers provided us with three additional gems. Along with the eight regular-season games, the Portland Trail Blazers are scheduled for three scrimmage games.
Starting with a Jul. 23 tilt against the Indiana Pacers, the Blazers will get three exhibitions before the pressure officially begins. And given both the slim margin for error and the number of moving parts slated to return to play, it feels like a positive.
There’s a part of me that doesn’t legitimately see the NBA season resuming, in large part because nearly 10 percent of the league has already fallen victim to the virus.
And that makes their three talented opponents — the Pacers, Raptors, and Thunder — dangerous for many of the wrong reasons.
Notwithstanding the risk, though, if health permits, the Blazers could find both long-term and short-term answers to pressing questions over a three-game slate that holds little importance to their actual Playoff goals.
All signs appear to be pointed towards the Blazers being content to ride it out with the roster they currently have. With that drama killed, the Blazers can lock into more significant issues, such as lineup designs and evaluating younger players. With that in mind, here are three storylines to watch out for during the three scrimmage games.