As expected, the Portland Trail Blazers have had a rocky start to the 2024-25 NBA season. They are now 1-3 but easily could have beaten the Pelicans twice at home after suffering a heartbreaking game-winner at the hands of Brandon Ingram. Portland went on to get revenge against New Orleans in their rematch, convincingly winning by 22 points.
The Blazers may finish the season close to the 21-win total they had last season. However, if Week 1 is any indication, they shouldn't be considered the worst team in the NBA. The Jazz, Wizards, Raptors, and Pistons all currently have a worse point differential than the Blazers, and the Pistons and Jazz remain winless.
Where the Trail Blazers rank after Week 1
Here is where the Blazers sit after four games of play, according to power rankings from major outlets:
Blazers rank | Site | Updated |
|---|---|---|
27 | ESPN | Oct 30 |
27 | The Athletic | Oct 29 |
26 (+2) | NBA | Oct 28 |
27 | Yahoo Sports | Oct 29 |
27 (+1) | Sporting News | Oct 29 |
Law Murray of The Athletic writes, "The Trail Blazers aren't your typical basement-level expectations team. There are a lot of mouths to feed on this offense, even with 2022 lottery pick Shaedon Sharpe sidelined (again). Anfernee Simons is still here. Jerami Grant is still here. Deandre Ayton is still supposed to be Dominayton. Portland traded a lottery pick to add a prime Deni Avdija."
Rip City Project's rankings
The Blazers have a relatively talented roster compared to the bottom feeders of the NBA, especially when comparing the depth of their teams. It remains to be seen if the Blazers will keep this roster throughout the entire season, but here's where they currently rank in our power rankings:
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Boston Celtics | 4-0 |
2 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 3-0 |
3 | Dallas Mavericks | 3-1 |
4 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 2-2 |
5 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 |
6 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3-1 |
7 | Phoenix Suns | 3-1 |
8 | New York Knicks | 1-2 |
9 | Denver Nuggets | 2-2 |
10 | Golden State Warriors | 3-1 |
11 | Memphis Grizzlies | 2-2 |
12 | Miami Heat | 2-1 |
13 | Milwaukee Bucks | 1-3 |
14 | Orlando Magic | 3-1 |
15 | Sacramento Kings | 2-2 |
16 | Los Angeles Clippers | 2-1 |
17 | Philadelphia 76ers | 1-2 |
18 | Indiana Pacers | 1-3 |
19 | Houston Rockets | 2-2 |
20 | Atlanta Hawks | 2-2 |
21 | New Orleans Pelicans | 2-2 |
22 | San Antonio Spurs | 1-2 |
23 | Charlotte Hornets | 1-2 |
24 | Chicago Bulls | 2-2 |
25 | Brooklyn Nets | 1-3 |
26 | Portland Trail Blazers | 1-3 |
27 | Toronto Raptors | 1-3 |
28 | Utah Jazz | 0-4 |
29 | Detroit Pistons | 0-4 |
30 | Washington Wizards | 1-2 |
The majority of outlets have the Blazers ranked at No. 27, while we have them at No. 26. Either way, it's apparent that Portland isn't at the very bottom of the NBA. This isn't ideal for their future outlook, as they want to finish with a bottom-three record in the league to give themselves a 14 percent chance of landing coveted Duke prospect Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft.
In terms of landing a top pick, one thing the Blazers have going in their favor this season is their 2024-25 schedule, which is the toughest in the NBA. So, although they may have a better roster than some of the teams at the bottom, they could finish with a similar record at the end of the season.
But if they win too many games by February's trade deadline, it would be in their best interest to trade away some of their established veteran pieces.