Latest Portland Trail Blazers News

    Portland Trail Blazers Franchise Information

    Have a read on below at some quick stats and facts on the Portland Trail Blazers to get you started: 

    Established:1970
    Stadium:Moda Center
    Colours:Red, black & white
    Hall of Famers:Lenny Wilkens, Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, Drazen Petrovic, Arvydas Sabonis & Scottie Pippen 
    Hall of Fame Coaches:Lenny Wilkens & Jack Ramsay
    Rivals:Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers & Houston Rockets
    Legends:Clyde Drexler, Bill Walton, Terry Porter, Sidney Wicks, Arvydas Sabonis, Scottie Pippen, Geoff Petrie, Brandon Roy, Rasheed Wallace & Mychal Thompson
    Retired Numbers:1, 13, 14, 15, 20, 22, 30, 30, 32, 36, 45 & 77
    Conference: Western Conference
    Division:Northwest Division
    NBA Championships1: 1977

    Portland Trail Blazers History

    There had been groups attempting to get a Portland based NBA team since 1955, but they were not successful until 1970 when, alongside Cleveland and Buffalo, the city was granted entry to the league as an expansion team. 

    The team started off better than most expansion teams, winning 29 games in their first season and in the team’s first two years, their draft picks Geoff Petrie and Sidney Wicks winning the 1971 and 1972 Rookie of the Year award, respectively. 

    The Blazers were unable to make the playoffs during their first six seasons in the league but managed to draft Bill Walton in 1974 and added Maurice Lucas in the dispersion draft, when the NBA absorbed the ABA. 

    Portland offloaded Petrie and Wicks, allowing Walton and Lucas to lead the team heading into the 1976-77 season, what would turn out to be Portland’s most successful in team history. The Blazers would finish 3rd in the West with a 49-33 record, making the playoffs for the first time. 

    Portland beat the Chicago Bulls 2-1 in the opening round before a 4-2 victory over the Denver Nuggets in the second round set up a Western Conference Finals against 1977 MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Los Angeles Lakers. 

    Walton would lead the Blazers to a 4-0 sweep of the Lakers, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time, coming up against the 1-seed from the East, the Philadelphia 76ers. Walton and Lucas would dominate the series with Portland winning 4-2 to capture the franchise’s first and only NBA Championship, with Walton being named Finals MVP.

    The following season started right where they left off, with a 50-10 record with only 22 games to go, but disaster struck when Bill Walton went down with a serious foot injury that ended his season.

    Portland finished the season 8-14, but still managed to win their first division title and finished on top of the Western Conference. Walton, despite missing the last 22 games, was named 1978 MVP, but without him leading the charge, they weren’t able to overcome the Seattle Supersonics in the conference semifinals. 

    Unhappy with the medical treatment he was receiving, Walton requested a trade from the Trail Blazers, but the team refused to trade their star player. Walton instead sat out the entire season and left as a free agent in 1979. Lucas soon followed, leaving in the 1980 offseason. 

    Despite the departures, Portland managed to still make the playoffs for the three seasons following Walton’s MVP year, but were never able to make it out of the first round. 

    Portland were a highly consistent team during the 1980s, making the playoffs every season except one, led by the 14th pick in the 1983 draft, Clyde Drexler. The 1984 draft was one that is franchise defining for Portland, being awarded the 2nd pick. 

    Drexler’s college teammate Hakeem Olajuwon was taken at 1 by the Houston Rockets, with Portland selecting center Sam Bowie, with Michael Jordan going at pick 3 to the Chicago Bulls. Portland believed that Jordan was too similar to Drexler and wanted a big player to fill the void left years ago by Walton. 

    This turned out to be one of the biggest drafting errors in professional sports history, with Bowie having a short and injury-plagued career, while Jordan went on to be, Michael Jordan…

    In the 1985 draft, Portland selected point guard Terry Porter who would go on to be the Blazer’s all time assists leader. Porter and Drexler led Portland through the tough 80s period, where despite managing to make the playoffs, were never able to get to the Conference Finals. 

    Rick Adelman was named head coach before the 1989-90 season, and with Drexler leading the charge, and a more defensive minded approach, the team finally tasted some postseason success. The Blazers swept the Mavericks in the opening round before defeating the San Antonio Spurs to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since their NBA Championship run 13 years earlier. 

    Portland defeated the Phoenix Suns 4-2, going on to face the hard nosed Detroit Pistons, led by Isiah Thomas. Portland would eventually lose 4-1, but had set a standard to be followed in the years to come. 

    Portland had an incredible 1990-91 season, claiming their second division title, while finishing on top of the Western Conference with a franchise best record of 63-19. The Blazers defeated Supersonics and the Utah Jazz to advance to the Conference Finals yet again, coming up against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers, but were unable to overcome the star power, going down 4-2. 

    The Blazers breezed through the regular season again, claiming another division title and finishing on top of the West for a second straight season. Portland faced the Lakers again, this time in the first round and this time flipping the outcome, winning 3-1. 

    Drexler then led the Blazers to wins over the Suns and the Jazz to advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years, facing Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Portland would unfortunately go down to the Bulls 4-2, and this would mark the end of their dominance through the Western Conference. 

    Portland would make the playoffs but be eliminated in the first round for six straight seasons, with Drexler being traded in the 1995 offseason. Portland attempted to fill the gaps left by Drexler and Porter, who left in 1995 also, but putting together a team of players that teams didn’t want due to their reputations. 

    Arvydas Sabonis came to the team from Europe, whose x-rays were so bad that they caused one doctor to state that he would be entitled to disabled car parks and entitlements. Joining Sabonis was Rasheed Wallace, known as a hot head who regularly picked up tech fouls, and Isaiah Rider, who was arrested for cannabis possession just days before his first game with the team.

    Mike Dunleavy Sr took over in 1997 and led the team to another division title and the 2-seed in the West in his second season. After being eliminated in the first round the previous six years, Portland’s misfits swept Phoenix and defeated the Jazz, going on to the Western Conference Finals. The Blazers were ultimately swept by the eventual champions, the Spurs. 

    Portland traded for Scottie Pippen during the offseason, who led the team to the playoffs again, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Jazz to advance to the conference finals, facing Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. That series went to seven games with the Blazers having a 15 point lead in the fourth quarter, before falling to the Lakers who went on to win the title. 

    The Blazers kept assembling a team of outcasts, with chemistry issues plaguing their chances, despite the talent that they had. Portland’s players were continuously in the news for all of the wrong reasons with the team picking up a nickname of the ‘Jail Blazers’, due to numerous charges and court hearings. After the Western Conference Finals loss to the Lakers, the team was unable to win a first round series in their next three tries. 

    Portland went on to miss the playoffs the following five seasons, but positive play from forward Zach Randolph, trading for rookie LaMarcus Aldridge and the emergence of 2007 Rookie of the Year, Brandon Roy, gave the team hope for the future. 

    In 2007, the Trail Blazers won the first pick in the draft, selecting center Greg Oden, with Kevin Durant going 2nd to neighbours, the Seattle Supersonics. This turned out to be Bowie/Jordan 2.0, with Oden fracturing his foot before playing a game for the team and being plagued by injuries throughout his career, while Durant went on to become a top three player in the league at the height of his powers. 

    Nate McMillan would win November Coach of the Month and Brandon Roy would win numerous Player of the Week awards on his way to being selected to the All Star Game. Portland added Rudy Fernandez and Nicolas Batum who, along with Aldridge and Roy, who was selected to the All Star Game for the second straight year, helped the team get back to the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. 

    Patty Mills and Wesley Matthews joined the team creating a fast paced, exciting bunch of players who thrived on high energy play. Despite this, injuries had their way with the Blazers and the team, who made the playoffs for three straight years, was never able to win a first round series. Roy being the worst, who had disastrous knee injuries that ruined what could have been an all time great career. 

    Aldridge emerged as the lead player for the team, with Roy leaving in 2011. Portland were unable to make the playoffs for the next two seasons but in 2012 drafted Damien Lillard, who went on to unanimously win 2012 Rookie of the Year. 

    Lillard and Aldridge, helped by Batum, Matthews and 2013 draftee CJ McCollum, brought the Blazers back to the playoffs but were unable to make the Western Conference finals before 2015, when Aldridge, Matthews and Batum all found new homes. 

    Lillard was the star of the show in Portland, continuing to make the playoffs, with their best mark being in the 2018-19 season when they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Portland weren’t able to overcome the powerful Golden State Warriors, with dominant center Jusuf Nurkic being sidelined with a broken leg. 

    In this last season, Portland underperformed expectations, heading into the COVID-19 lockdown 9th in the West, after finishing 3rd the season before. The Orlando Bubble was a different team, going 6-2 in their seeding games to claim 8th spot and a place in the newly introduced ‘play-in’ against the 9th placed Memphis Grizzlies. 

    Since Portland finished 8th, they had to win just one game to advance to the first round of the playoffs, whereas Memphis had to win two, but Lillard continued his blistering form that won him Bubble MVP, to help Portland advance to play the 1-seed Lakers. Portland were unable to overcome LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers, losing 4-1. 

    With Lillard leading the charge, there was plenty of hope that with a full season of health and continuity that Portland could rise up the ranks in the West. Unfortunately both Jusuf Nurkic and CJ McCollum missed sizeable portions of the season and left the Blazers having to settle for sixth in the West.

    They came up against a depleted Denver Nuggets side but were unable to get the job done, losing in six games and leaving plenty of questions unanswered. Terry Stotts was fired as head coach after nine seasons with the team and only making the Western Conference Finals once, being eliminated in the opening round five out of eight times they made the playoffs.

    Chauncey Billups was named as the new head coach but there is still plenty of potential change amongst the team, with almost anybody on the roster available for the right price.

    The Portland Trail Blazers had a rough season and were without Damien Lillard for the majority of it. They also traded away CJ McCollum as well. They finished the year with a record of 27-55 on the season.

    Expert 2022-23 Picks & Preview on Portland Trail Blazers

    If you are a fan of the Portland Trail Blazers, then you know that the only thing that matters right now is how they are expected to perform in the 2022-23 season. Do the Portland Trail Blazers have the star power to make it all the way to the playoffs and win The Finals in 2023?

    Have a read on below at SportsTips expert picks & preview on the Portland Trail Blazers:

    Front Office

    Chauncey Billups is the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and this upcoming 2022-23 National Basketball Association season will be his second season in charge of the franchise. He has been coaching in the league for two years overall and over the course of his coaching career he has never made the playoffs. His overall record in the regular season currently sits at 27-55 after one full season as the head coach of the Blazers. He is a former NBA player who had a career that lasted well over a decade and he is one of the better point guards in the history of the league, he is mostly remembered for his time with the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets. 

    Joe Cronin is the general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers and he has held that position within the franchise since 2022. This upcoming 2022-23 National Basketball Association season will be his first season as the decision maker for the Portland Trail Blazers. 

    Key Players

    Damian Lillard is the best player on this team’s roster and he is sure to make a huge impact during the 2022-23 National Basketball Association season. This upcoming season will be his 11th season in the National Basketball Association. Last season he put up some impressive numbers as he averaged around 24 points per game. He set up his teammates as well as he averaged around six and a half assists per game. He also managed to do some work on the boards as he averaged around four rebounds per game. 

    The second key player on this roster is Anfernee Simons and this upcoming season will be his fifth season in the National Basketball Association. Last season he put up some impressive numbers as he averaged around 17.5 points per game. He set up his teammates as well as he averaged around four assists per game. He also managed to do some work on the boards as he averaged around three rebounds per game.

    Breakout Player

    Jabari Walker will be the breakout player on this team’s roster and he is sure to make a huge impact during the 2022-23 National Basketball Association season. He is a former 57th overall pick in the 2022 National Basketball Association Draft. This upcoming season will be his rookie season in the National Basketball Association after attending Colorado. Last season he put up some impressive numbers as he averaged around 15 points per game. 

    He set up his teammates as well as he averaged around one and a half assists per game. He also managed to do some work on the boards as he averaged around nine and a half rebounds per game. He put in some work on the defensive end of the court as well, averaging around one steal per game and one block per game. His list of accolades is impressive as he is a former first team all PAC-12 selection in 2022 and a member of the PAC-12 all freshman team in 2021.

    Portland Trail Blazers Betting & Odds Preview 2022-23

    The Portland Trail Blazers campaign during the 2021-22 National Basketball Association season went about as you would’ve expected. They finished the year with a record of 27-55 and in fourth place of the Northwest Division.  

    There is a lot of optimism surrounding the franchise heading into the 2022-23 National Basketball Association season. If they want to improve or keep up their current level of play they will certainly need a ton of production from their stars over the course of the 2022-23 National Basketball Association season. The most important thing in any season is how a team starts out of the gate, and then how they look when the all-star break approaches. 

    In the National Basketball Association, a lot can change over a single off-season. It will be interesting to see how their offseason moves translate onto the basketball court over the course of the 2022-23 National Basketball Association season. Based on their odds to win some hardware headed into the season it is clear how the oddsmakers in Las Vegas feel about them heading into the year. 

    Their odds to bring home the Northwest Division championship this season currently sit at +900 heading into the 2022-23 National Basketball Association season, which puts them third in the Northwest Division out of five teams. 

    While their odds to win the Western Conference currently sit at +4000 heading into the 2022-23 National Basketball Association season, which puts them 10th in the Western Conference out of 15 teams. Their overall odds to bring home the championship are currently sitting at +8000 heading into the 2022-23 season, as they rank 20th out of all 30 teams in the National Basketball Association.

    Portland Trail Blazers FAQs

    Still got some burning questions about the Portland Trail Blazers? Well, we have answered some of the most common questions people have, hopefully you will find the answer you are looking for below! 

    Where do the Portland Trail Blazers play?

    The Portland Trail Blazers play their home games at the Moda Center. 

    Who owns the Portland Trail Blazers?

    Jody Allen is the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, following the passing of her brother Paul Allen who was owner at the time of his death. 

    Have the Portland Trail Blazers won an NBA Championship?

    The Portland Trail Blazers have won 1 NBA championship, in 1977. 

    Who is the Portland Trail Blazers coach?

    Chauncey Billups is the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. Billups was hired in the 2021 offseason, after he was assistant for the Clippers, with hope that the star point guard and former Finals MVP would be able to connect with Lillard and inspire him to greatness. 

    Do the Portland Trail Blazers play tonight?

    Are you wondering if the Portland Trail Blazers are playing tonight? Well, SportsTips has all the details you need about upcoming Portland Trail Blazers games! Make sure you check this page at the top for all the details you are looking for.

    What is the Portland Trail Blazers record?

    The Portland Trail Blazers had a 27-55 win-loss record for the 2021-22 NBA season. 

    Did the Portland Trail Blazers win last night?

    Fans of the Portland Trail Blazers are all wanting to know if they won the game last night. You can find more information in relation to the team’s recent form in games on the page at the top.

    How much are the Portland Trail Blazers worth?

    According to Forbes Magazine, the Portland Trail Blazers are worth $2.05 billion.

    Who do the Portland Trail Blazers play tonight?

    Like a lot of things in the NBA, things change pretty quickly. So, if you are looking for more information about who the Portland Trail Blazers play tonight, you have come to the right place. We have all this information for you in detail, you can find these details for upcoming games at the top of the page.

    How to watch the Portland Trail Blazers?

    You can watch the Portland Trail Blazers on TV channels like ESPN, ABC, TNT, NBA TV or NBC Sports Northwest, or subscribe to NBA League Pass. 

    Will the Portland Trail Blazers make the playoffs this year?

    The Portland Trail Blazers did not make the playoffs in the 2021-22 season. They finished the regular season in 13th place in the Western Conference with a 27-55 record.

    Will the Portland Trail Blazers get the 1st pick in the NBA Draft?

    The Portland Trail Blazers did not receive the 1st pick in the 2022 NBA draft.

    When do the Portland Trail Blazers play?

    Portland Trail Blazers fans are always looking for more information about when their team plays the next game. For all the information you have been craving and more, be sure to check the top of this page. Here at SportsTips, we list all the information you need like the tip off time, location of the game and the all important NBA odds.

    Where did the Portland Trail Blazers finish the season?

    The Portland Trail Blazers finished the 2021-22 NBA season in 13th in the Western Conference. 

    How many games did the Portland Trail Blazers win?

    The Portland Trail Blazers won 27 games during the 2021-22 NBA season.

    Still looking for more? Well, you are in luck! We have detailed analysis of every team in the NBA. All you need to do is click on one of the team links below, and we take care of the rest for you: