The Portland Trail Blazers are fighting an uphill battle to get this franchise back to the postseason. In all likelihood, this team will finish as a ninth- or 10th-seed, meaning they'll have to defeat two strong Western Conference teams in the play-in tournament to earn a playoff spot.
If the season ended today, they'd have to play on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers. If they survive that daunting test, Portland would then continue their road trip against the loser of the seven-eight seed matchup, which, right now, would be the Phoenix Suns or the Golden State Warriors.
That's a lot of star power to go through, between Kawhi Leonard and either Devin Booker or Stephen Curry (assuming he returns from a knee injury by then). Having the best player on the court becomes even more of an advantage in these playoff settings, and Portland will have to beat two stars that have already proven capable of leading their team to a Finals run.
The good news is, the Blazers suddenly have a star of their own, with Deni Avdija making his first All-Star appearance.
Blazers' play-in gauntlet will be the ultimate test for their newest All-Star
But as a result of spending his career with the Wizards and now the Blazers, Portland's newest star is at a major disadvantage not only in age but, most importantly, playoff experience. Avdija will be thrown into the fire, giving him an opportunity to truly earn his spot amongst the NBA's best players.
Making the All-Star game was a step in the right direction, but it's also a small sample size. It remains to be seen whether Portland has a legitimate star on its hands, someone they can rely on when they take this next step in their rebuild. We're about to find out, as the Blazers are all but a lock to make the play-in with the teams behind them seemingly entering tank mode.
It will be a good litmus test before next season, when the stakes and expectations surrounding this roster are higher. Portland is currently +400 to make the postseason on DraftKings Sportsbook. They have a difficult road ahead of them to end a four-year drought, but Avdija represents a glimmer of hope in pulling off the underdog story.
Portland has underrated depth with a roster that's finally getting healthy at the right time. Their disadvantage comes in their lack of star power. But if Avdija can step up and play close to the level of Leonard, Booker, or Curry, Portland could have a better chance than some might think.
On the surface, their reward would be a short series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But more importantly, the Blazers would know they have a true star to build around as the face of the franchise in Deni Avdija.