NorthWest Sports Blog brings you daily features on Oregon, Washington State, and BC amateur and pro sports teams.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers April 5 matchup against the Houston Rockets. The Blazers will be back on national T.V. (ESPN) for the second time in just over a week. Last time didn’t go so well against the Brooklyn Nets, and the team will look to restore its image with a young, energetic roster. The key matchup is going to be at the shooting guard spot. James Harden and Wesley Matthews will have the potential to score a lot of points in a up-tempo system.
NWSB Insider previews the Portland Trail Blazers’ March 3 matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. PDX has lost five straight, and is giving up more than 111 points per contest during that stretch. The playoffs are more than a long shot at this point, and you have to wonder how motivated this team is following a game where they turned the ball over 16 times. The key matchup will be between Zach Randolph and either LaMarcus Aldridge or JJ Hickson.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers April 1 matchup against the Utah Jazz. This game will be the second time in three nights that these two teams meet. The last time didn’t go Portland’s way, as a first-half lead turned into a second-half meltdown. With LaMarcus Aldridge out Monday night, the key matchup will be between Meyers Leonard and Al Jefferson. Leonard is coming off a career performance against the Golden State Warriors.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers’ March 30 matchup against the Golden State Warriors.Portland made a major comeback the last time these two played to make it a game late, but a strong start would have avoided having to do that. The key matchup in this one is going to be at the point guard position, as Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard have proven they can carry their teams. LaMarcus Aldridge is out.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers March 29 matchup against the Utah Jazz. This game has major playoff implications, but at this point in the year, it appears as if both squads are headed toward the lottery. Portland needs to recover following the debacle against the Brooklyn Nets. Rebounding is going to be a focal point for the Blazers. The key matchup will be between Damian Lillard and Mo Williams.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers March 27 matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. Portland is coming off of a five-game road trip; one in which saw the team go 2-3 against playoff opponents and one near-playoff team. The push for the playoffs begins now, and a win at home is the best way to start. The key matchup is going to be at the small forward position. Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum used to fight for the starting spot in PDX, but when the team turned Wallace in Damian Lillard, it instantly became Batum’s.
Bryant Knox breaks down what we learned about the Portland Trailblazers during their recent five-game road trip. Despite going 2-3 on the trip, we saw more good things than bad. LaMarcus Aldridge is playing like the best power forward in the NBA, as he’s more well-rounded than Blake Griffin and Kevin Love is sidelined with an injury. This team is going to fight no matter what its record is, but there’s no denying that the final month of the season is going to be tough when it comes to making the playoffs.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers March 24 matchup against the OKC Thunder. The Blazers began the current five-game road trip with two losses, but back-to-back wins over the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks have given fans hope that the playoffs might be a possibility. This group plays up to its competition, and that’s what it will have to do on Sunday. The key matchup is at the point guard position. Damian Lillard said coming into the year that he pictured himself being a Russell Westbrook-type point guard, and he’ll look to have a big game to close out the road trip.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers March 22 matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. Like the Blazers, the Atlanta Hawks are in a bit of a rebuilding mode right now, but the Hawks are the ones who have locked up a playoff spot. Which team has the brighter future is still in question, as Josh Smith’s future is up in the air; but both teams have something to look forward to, and the matchup between Smith and LaMarcus Aldridge will be something to watch for.
Jason Hartzog previews the Portland Trail Blazers’ March 21 matchup against the Chicago Bulls. Portland is coming off another tough loss the other night to the Bucks. Jason says for Portland to truly wish to compete for this playoff spot, they must win on the road. Of the 15 remaining games on their schedule, 7 of them are on the road. Chicago has struggled to score this season with the absence of Derrick Rose. For this game, Jason will be watching Nicolas Batum versus Luol Deng.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers’ March 14 matchup against the New York Knicks. The last time these two met, the Blazers shocked the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. PDX won 105-100, and it spoiled the return of Amare’ Stoudemire. Stoudemire will be out for this one, and Carmelo Anthony is less than 100 percent. The key matchup is going to be at the point guard position. Although Nicolas Batum matching up against Anthony may have a bigger impact, Portland fans need to see Damian Lillard have a great game against Raymond Felton.
NWSB Editor and Insider Chris Anderson talks about the current state of the Blazers and where they stand in relation to the NBA Playoffs. Now they are five games under .500 (29-34), third in the Northwest, and four games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 8 and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 19 games to go. And while Portland could regroup and make a run for the playoffs, the recent play of the Lakers Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash is going to make it tough.
