Portland Trail Blazers: 3 bold predictions for the 2021 NBA season

The Portland Trail Blazers 2021 season is only a few weeks away. With many exciting additions, here are 3 bold predictions for the upcoming season.

The Portland Trail Blazers will begin pre-season and then the official regular season within the next two weeks. With a bevy of free-agent signings and trade targets now in town, there is a buzz around the fanbase that there hasn’t been for a few years.

They will likely take a jump from last year, but how far will they go?

Here are 3 bold predictions for the 2021 NBA season

Bold prediction #1 – Jusuf Nurkic will become an All-Star

Jusuf Nurkic spent 18 months on the sideline after breaking his leg in the 2019 season. One of the most devastating injuries seen on a basketball court in recent memory, Niurkic made his long-awaited return from injury in the seeding games in the Bubble in July.

There was concern that this injury would limit his effectiveness on both ends and his strength at the basket, but in a triumphant return in the seeding games, Nurkic put up the mind-boggling stats Blazer fans have come to expect from him. He was back and was actually better than before.

Nurkic was shooting threes and lost 20 plus pounds, giving him better rim finishing and rim protection.

Looking forward to the upcoming season, Nurkic is primed for the biggest year of his career.

Not only does he have Damian Lillard alongside him, who is in the best form of his life, but he also has two-way players who will benefit him on both ends. Robert Covington to spot up and force turnovers, Derrick Jones Jr. to hit with passes on cuts and to block shots, and a fit Rodney Hood to hit shots from the corner.

With injuries to current West All-Stars, and players like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving switching conferences, Nurkic’s likely dominant year will give him the boost he needs to potentially become an All-Star for the first time.

Rudy Gobert may be a better defender, and Karl-Anthony Towns may be a better offensive player, but there are very few bigs in the West with Nurk’s two-way play. Nurk also has a huge following in Portland and back home in Bosnia, giving him a big chance of nailing the fan vote.

Nurk can get more votes than 2020 All-Star Rudy Gobert, but he and the Blazers need to put it all on the court.