What a difference a month makes. This time in February, the Trail Blazers were wallowing in mediocrity, just four games over .500 and in danger of missing the playoffs. Fresh off three straight losses through four days on the road, they held on to the sixth spot in the highly competitive West, but mere percentage points ahead of the 10th running Jazz (to whom, it must be noted, they would then lose). And then something happened, fast: They won. And won. And won again, so much so that, heading into yesterday’s set-to against the Knicks, they were already in third.
True, the Blazers are still nowhere near safe. Not counting the Rockets and Warriors, who have effectively lapped the field, they’re leading a bunch of eight fighting for six postseason slots. And, yes, the word “bunch” understates the ferocity of the competition. As red hot as they may be, having prevailed in seven straight — and nine of their last 10 — outings, they’re just four games ahead of the aforementioned Jazz. Which is to say they need to keep the pedal to the metal if they aim to begin the playoffs with homecourt advantage, let alone make it there.
The good news is that the Blazers have been extremely consistent on defense this season. Save for a hiccup at the turn of the year, they’ve exhibited top-shelf coverage, no mean feat given the acknowledged deficiencies of their offense-concentrated backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The system they employ under head coach Terry Stotts smartly discourages treys, and even more so in the corners, while also funneling would-be drivers to an at-the-ready front line headed by Jusuf Nurkic.
That said, the Blazers’ fortunes still ebb and flow with Lillard’s (and, to a lesser extent, with McCollum’s). It’s no coincidence that their string of victories has coincided with the All-Star’s outstanding shooting; over the period, his scoring average is bested only by Anthony Davis of the likewise-surging Pelicans. Just yesterday, he put up an eye-popping 19 points, including 15 straight over two minutes, in the fourth quarter to deny the Lakers a seemingly certain win. He’s still nowhere near as efficient as, say, Steph Curry or even James Harden, but when he’s on, he’s on.
To be sure, the Blazers aren’t built to upend the Warriors or Rockets in a best-of-seven affair. On the other hand, there can be no denying the strides they’ve made. With the Spurs handicapped by a variety of injuries to key players, the Thunder still riding a roller coaster, and the Timberwolves forced to negotiate the near term without leader Jimmy Butler, they’ve stepped into the void and confidently made the most of the opportunity handed them. They’re in the homestretch, and, to their credit, they believe they deserve to be exactly where they are.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.
