The Portland Trail Blazers have been quietly sneaking up the Western Conference standings. Thanks to a two-game winning streak, Portland finds itself tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for eighth. In all likelihood, the Blazers will fall somewhere in the 8-10 range, but the difference between the eight seed and below is drastic, as it will determine whether they need to win just one or two play-in games to end a four-year playoff drought.
Fortunately, they are trending in the opposite direction from the teams around them. Portland has been one of the most injured teams this season, but, except for high-flyer Shaedon Sharpe, it is finally getting healthy at the right time. Combine that with one of the easiest remaining strengths of schedule in the league, and the Blazers' path to the postseason has suddenly become more realistic than some might think.
Blazers still have a realistic shot at the postseason
Meanwhile, their competition has struggled. The Golden State Warriors are struggling to stay afloat as superstar Stephen Curry remains sidelined due to a lingering knee injury. Los Angeles was expected to take a step back after selling at the deadline, moving on from James Harden and Ivica Zubac. They've done just that, with an active four-game losing streak.
The Blazers need to stay the course and should have enough time to finish the season in the eight- or nine-spot, rather than the ten seed it previously looked as though they were destined for.
Much of that depends on the status of Deni Avdija, as Portland has dealt with a star injury of its own. Avdija hasn't looked like the same player since returning from his lower back injury, particularly struggling with his three-point shot as he isn't getting enough lift. A poor three-point shooting night didn't stop him from having a 32-point performance in their most recent win over the Indiana Pacers. But as the competition tightens and the games increase in significance, the Blazers will absolutely need to have their star at full strength.
Currently, their odds of making the postseason are at +200 on DraftKings Sportsbook. So they're still fighting an uphill battle, but it was at +400 a few weeks ago, so at least they're trending in the right direction.
Given recent developments with both Portland and the Western Conference, a playoff appearance is becoming increasingly realistic.