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.
Let s Go Play-In Tournament Dippity-Do. Just Ask for the Season to End Soon By Robertolgib on May 14, 2021, 10:44pm PDT 1
This is not hard. The Blazers have a crappy roster.
When, not if, the Blazers are knocked out very soon, Terry Stotts will not be renewed and Neil Olshey will probably be looking for a job elsewhere.
Our(yes I went there) roster currently kind of sucks. There s Damian Lillard, Nurkic and nobody else.
We wonder why Derrick Jones Jr doesn t play? This comes from the article about Where has D Jones Jr Gone from yesterday. Because the Blazers struggle to find baskets that will give them enough points to outscore opponents and win.
Behind the Blazers’ Defense, Three-Pointers, and Playoffs Hopes
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The Portland Trail Blazers deserve a great podcast after going 4-0 (now 5-0) in the last week. Dave Deckard and Dia Miller try to deliver one in Episode 26 of Dave and Dia. The dynamic duo turn one half year old with a Dia celebration fest at the resurrection of the team’s hopes for the 2020-21 season. Wins against the Cavaliers and Rockets may have been expected, but a big win against the Lakers went a long way towards bringing Portland’s season to the good. Dave and Dia talk about that, Terry Stotts winning 400 games with the Blazers, the three-point offense, and NBA Western Conference Playoffs Standings. They ask why Derrick Jones, Jr. isn’t a regular part of Portland’s rotation anymore and speculate on his future with the franchise. They also look at the defensive improvements we’ve seen over the past few weeks and talk about the difference playing i
What Happened to Derrick Jones, Jr.?
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The race for the 2021 NBA Playoffs is heating up, and as usual, the Portland Trail Blazers are in the thick of it. Last night’s loss against the Phoenix Suns was huge. The Blazers are now in danger of falling into the play-in tournament. But through all the opportunity, chaos, and drama, one player remains conspicuously absent. Derrick Jones, Jr., a starter for 43 games this season, is not in the late-season rotation for Head Coach Terry Stotts.
Though he was a large part of Portland’s off-season signing campaign last summer, Jones has not played in 9 of the last 16 games. The most he’s played during that span is 23 minutes in a contest against the Houston Rockets that was never particularly close. The Blazers were missing Carmelo Anthony that night and Jones helped fill the void. Beyond that single evening, he’s barely registered.
Pregame: Peaking Blazers Meet Laboring Suns On Second Leg Of Back-To-Back
Postseason seeding is still at stake for both Portland and Phoenix in Thursday s crucial matchup.
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Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images
Postseason seeding is still at stake for both Portland and Phoenix in Thursday s crucial matchup.
Opponent: Phoenix Suns (48-21 overall, 6-4 overall)
Offensive Rating: 116.0 (seventh)
Broadcast: ESPN/NBC Sports Northwest
Point Spread: Phoenix -4.5
Over/Under: 235
Portland: Zach Collins (out), Nassir Little (questionable)
Primer: The Suns, struggling a bit recently, still have a shot to steal the top playoff seed in the West. Chris Paul, Devin Booker and company are just a game-and-a-half back of the Utah Jazz with three to play, their chances buoyed by owning the head-to-head tie-breaker – and the Blazers convincing victory over Utah on Wednesday during the first leg of an arduous back-to-back.