2014-15 NBA Season Preview: Portland Trail Blazers
Welcome to theScore's preview of the 2014-15 Portland Trail Blazers. Visit our preseason hub for previews of all 30 NBA teams.
Portland Trail Blazers
2013-14
| Record | Division | Conference | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54-28 | 2nd | 5th | Lost R2 |
The Portland Trail Blazers were the darlings of the league last season. Fueled by a well-orchestrated offense and a lethal 3-point attack, the team surged to their most successful season in more than a decade.
The All-Star duo of Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge powered the Blazers' attack. Lillard followed up a Rookie of the Year campaign to post an even better sophomore season. Aldridge, on the other hand, continued to dominate from the mid-block with a lethal post game and silky-smooth jumper.
Buoyed by a scorching-hot 31-9 start, the Blazers finished the year as the Western Conference's fifth seed.
Portland managed to upset the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs. Their playoff highlight was Lillard draining a series-clinching dagger to sink the Rockets in Game 6.
Offseason Roundup
The short story is the Blazers stood pat this offseason. Chris Kaman isn't exactly any team's idea of a big splash.
The long story is the Blazers didn't have much wiggle room to make moves. With only cap exceptions to work with, they settled on Kaman and Steve Blake, who will replace outgoing bench piece Mo Williams.
Given that they added little of note, Portland's bench woes will likely continue next season.
Additions
PG Steve Blake (2/$4.2M)
C Chris Kaman (2/$9.8M)
PG Diante Garrett (1/$0.9M)
Departures
PG Mo Williams (free agency)
2014 Draft
The Blazers didn't draft anyone in 2014, having dealt their first-round pick in 2011 for Gerald Wallace, who they later swung for the pick that got them Damian Lillard. They're hoping for one of their existing prospects to step up and fill a hole off the bench.
At guard, the Blazers have a pair of options in C.J. McCollum and Will Barton. McCollum was drafted 19th overall last season whereas Barton is a second rounder from 2012. Both players have flashed the ability to score on occasion, but have struggled with consistency.
In the frontcourt, either Thomas Robinson or Meyers Leonard will need to step up and serve as the fourth big in the rotation. Robinson has played for three teams since being drafted fifth overall in 2012, and holds potential as an energy pick-and-roll big. Leonard has good size but has largely struggled thus far in his career.
Starting 5
- PG Damian Lillard
- SG Wesley Matthews
- SF Nicolas Batum
- PF LaMarcus Aldridge
- C Robin Lopez
Breakout Player: Damian Lillard
It's easy to forget Lillard is just a sophomore.
He has poise befitting a player many years his senior. In just two seasons in the league, Lillard already has a Rookie of the Year award to his name along with an All-Star and All-NBA berth. His per-game averages of 20.7 points and 5.6 assists last season helped power the Blazers' second-ranked offense.
Having said all that, Lillard is still just 24 years old, and has plenty of room to improve, including his on-ball defense and finishing at the rim.
Like most inexperienced players, Lillard has struggled to keep his player in front of him, and an improvement on the defensive end should help Portland improve their league-average D. Similarly, Lillard can improve his finishing ability, as he has thus far shot just 52.1 percent within three feet of the rim.
Season Expectations
The Blazers undoubtedly expect to improve on their surprising fifth-place finish from last season, but it will be a tough task due to their lack of depth.
Portland's lack of bench production wasn't an issue last season because the starters were both dominant and healthy. All five of the Blazers' starters played more than 2,400 minutes, and aside from Aldridge, they all appeared in 82 games. Such a clean bill of health requires luck, and it might not repeat itself this season.
That being said, the Blazers' starting five is among the best in the league. Of all five-man units that appeared in more than 41 games last season, Portland's starting staff ranked fourth in plus-minus.
Head coach Terry Stotts is a clever tactician who understands how to get the most out of his starters, especially on offense.
1 to Follow on Social Media
A lot of NBA players have tried their hands at rapping. Damian Lillard is actually decent at it. Catch his #FourBarFridays on Instagram.