Injuries and defensive woes have plagued the Portland Trail Blazers all year. However, excuses aside, they’re still in the thick of the playoff race.
The team will be without stars CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkić for at least the next four to six weeks, respectively.
With those notable players out, it’s time for the rest of the team to either put up or shut up. The approach by this team over that time could decide the fate of their season.
Currently eighth in the West, the Blazers would find themselves in the play-in tournament if the season ended today. That’s obviously not an ideal situation for Portland.
The team would love to finish sixth or high and avoid any play-in scenario if possible. Everything that happens from this point on is crucial to that playoff positioning.
The Blazers could finish as high as a top-four seed, or they could find themselves outside the playoff picture altogether.
There are essentially three potential outcomes for the rest of the Portland Trail Blazers’ season. The team will either sink, tread water, or they could swim. Each possibility has potential effects in the short and long term.