2009-10 Portland Trail Blazers Predictions
Written October 26, 2009 by Steve Janus
The Portland Trail Blazers will look to build off of last year’s success when they finished in a tie for first in the Western Conference’s Northwest division with the Denver Nuggets. The Blazers lost in the first round of the playoffs in six games to the Houston Rockets, but this is a young team with a lot of room to improve. Picking up veteran point-guard Andre Miller in the offseason filled a big need for the Blazers, who will also hopefully get a healthy season out of center Greg Oden. Portland should be looking at another season that sees them reach the playoffs. Looking at the NBA odds to win this year’s championship over at BetUS, the Blazers are listed at +1800 odds, just behind the Denver Nuggets in their division.
Frontcourt - The Blazers feature one of the most exciting young frontcourts in the NBA. Now two years removed from season-ending knee surgery in 2007-08, Oden will start the season at full strength and look to build on his 8.9 points and 7 rebounds per game in 61 appearances last season. Helping Oden around the paint will be power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who is currently the teams second-best scoring option behind Brandon Roy. Alridge posted 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last year and still has room to improve. Rudy Fernandez gets the nod at small forward and will likely split time with Travis Outlaw. Neither player is exceptional, but should be fine role players on both offense and defense.
Backcourt - As previously mentioned, the addition of Andre Miller at point will have an immediate positive impact on this team. Miller’s presence should free up even more space for the emerging star on this team, Brandon Roy. Roy’s smooth stroke netted him 22.6 points per game last season, including hitting nearly 38 percent from three-point range. Roy also averaged 5.1 assists per game and as Aldridge and Oden continue to improve around the basket, his assist numbers could also grow. There are some questions on his defensive play, but adding the veteran Miller to the frontcourt should help the overall backcourt defense for this team.
Summary - Portland is a young team with tons of potential. The only problem is that we keep saying that about them year after year, and at some point they need to cash in on that potential. They may still be a few years away from making a serious run at an NBA title, but they are definitely good enough to find themselves in the playoffs for the second straight season.
Prediction: 51-31, 2nd in the Northwest
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One Response to “2009-10 Portland Trail Blazers Predictions”
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I love it. For 3 straight years most handicappers have underestimated Portland. Once again this year, you guys are doing the same thing. It’s as if each year everyone thinks Portland cannot repeat because they’re younger than the rest of the league.
Last year they tied for 2nd in the West, had 54 wins and really were turning it on for the last half of the season. Over the Summer, Oden turned things around, Martell Webster came back, they picked up Miller and J Howard and somehow they’re supposed to finish behind a very old San Antonio team who is essentially the same except older and Jefferson. (McDyess won’t help much this year.) and Denver, who actually had net losses over the Summer.
Whatever.
Bring it on. The Blazers will turn some heads this year. They’re poised to win 58+ games…maybe 60, not 15. Heck, they did better than that last year, and they’re a much better team now.
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