Tactics

Terry Stotts has been the head coach of the Trail Blazers since 2012 and, with the exception of his debut campaign, has qualified for the playoffs in each season. Traditionally with Portland, Stotts has employed a motion offense: the players are relatively unrestricted to encourage free-flowing play. Offensively, it pursues the creation of screens. With Lillard and McCollum as their guards alongside the frontcourt pair of Nurkic and Whiteside, the Trail Blazers can effectively utilise ball movement with the threat of scoring from both inside and outside the key. Nurkic and Whiteside will be played to support the guards’ scoring ability, and will likely be encouraged to find space to effectively pick-and-roll. Defensively, Portland possess solid length and rim-protectors in their frontcourt duo, whilst Lillard and McCollum will utilise their speed to press the opposition and cause turnovers.

Predicted 2019-20 Record: 49-33

I actually think Portland are a great team, despite suggesting that their record will decline in this article. This is largely due to the insanely competitive climate created in the Western Conference; the two Los Angeles teams will drastically improve upon their 2018-19 showing. Teams who I don’t have making the playoffs, or will be competitive for the low seeds - New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks - are now strong enough that it wouldn’t be a shock if any one of these franchises stole a win or two from the Trail Blazers. The postseason is what the Blazers will be focusing on, and with a backcourt duo of Lillard and CJ McCollum, they certainly possess the quality to upset the big guns.