NBA Playoff Odds: The Portland Trail Blazers’ 2021 Title Chances
Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images. Pictured: Damien Lillard.
Portland Trail Blazers NBA Playoff Odds
How the Portland Trail Blazers Got Here
The Portland Trail Blazers have had one of their trademark seasons in the sense that they had a lull and big defensive collapse — aided by injuries –before they turned it on and collectively went into "Dame Time" as a unit.
Portland has done enough down the stretch to solidify its reputation as a playoff team that, despite its defensive flaws, has enough offensive firepower to scare any team.
The Trail Blazers were easily one of the best teams in the league when it came to putting up points. They got even better in that area when they added Norman Powell at the NBA Trade Deadline.
Powell is a big-time scorer, and one of three players on the Trail Blazers — you can guess the other two — who is averaging more than 15.0 points per game. For all of his defensive shortcomings, Powell will be vital to Portland's postseason hopes.
On the injury front, second-year forward Nassir Little has been day-to-day with back spasms, but figures to suit up if head coach Terry Stotts needs him for any crucial defensive assignments in the playoffs, a likely occurrence.
Outside of Little, the Trail Blazers are still dealing with the indefinite absence of big man Zach Collins following left ankle surgery. Collins' ability to guard both inside and on the perimeter was a boon for coach Stotts.
Collins has remarked that he would love to come back and feels that it is perhaps a real possibility if Portland was to make a deep postseason run.
Outside of a miracle Collins' return, the Trail Blazers team we saw in Game 72 is likely the team we are going to get in the postseason. With that being said, it is quite tough to project this team having a deep run.
Portland has been a good against the spread (ATS) squad, and they have actually performed better on the road. This should give Portland bettors some confidence to cover in the first game in the opening round. With this Portland team going over often, their nightly point total may be the true value bet to monitor in Round 1.
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