It’s been a long time coming, but after five months of regular season play and a week of preparation, the Portland Trail Blazers begin their 2021 postseason Saturday night.In a rematch of the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals, the six-seed Trail Blazers will face the six-seed Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first round playoff series Saturday night at Ball
The Portland Trail Blazers know what they have to do.
After playing 71 games over the course of five months, the Trail Blazers arrive at their regular season finale versus the Denver Nuggets still needing a victory in order to secure their eighth-straight postseason berth. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
With a win, Portland ensures finishing no worse than sixth, and there’s still a chance to end as high as fifth. With a loss, they likely fall into seventh, and thus, will have to win a game in the play-in tournament in order to get either the seventh or eighth seed. Results of other games every team in the NBA is playing on the final day of the season could potentially change what the Trail Blazers need to do in order to advance, but with those games tipping at or near the same time as Portland’s, the only way to guarantee a spot in the 2021 playoffs is to win.
It took a while longer than usual, but the yearly tradition of the Trail Blazers going on a late-season playoff push seems to have arrived. But despite winning five-straight and nine out of their last 10, they re still are not assured of a spot in the 2021 Playoffs.
That would change with a win tonight in Phoenix.
With two games to play, the Trail Blazers need one win to secure their eighth-straight postseason berth, which they’ll try to get when they face the Suns in a nationally-televised contest Thursday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 72-45
The Trail Blazers, currently in fifth in the standings, have three games left to play in their 2020-21 regular season. They will need to win two of those in order to guarantee a spot in the postseason, and against some of the best teams in the Western Conference.
Portland begins a back-to-back versus the teams sitting at first and second in the West that will all but decide whether they finish outside of the play in tournament when they face the Utah Jazz Wednesday night at Vivint Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 65-32
After a disastrous homestand, the Trail Blazers have achieved a measure of redemption by starting a six-game road trip with blowout victories versus the Pacers and Grizzlies. They’ll try to build on those wins when they face the Brooklyn Nets Friday night at Barclays Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 37-9
BROOKLYN HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 28-17
LAST PORTLAND WIN: 134-133, 8/13/20 (Brooklyn)
LAST BROOKLYN WIN: 116-112, 3/23/21 (Portland)
CURRENT WIN STREAK: One (Brooklyn)
SERIES NOTES
• The Trail Blazers April 30 game against the Nets will be the final meeting between Portland and Brooklyn during the 2020-21 season. The Nets lead the season series, 1-0.