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Portland Trail Blazers 2015 NBA Season Preview

By Cody Williams

Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after making a 3 point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after making a 3 point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 21, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts and center Meyers Leonard (11) against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Blazers 118-113. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts and center Meyers Leonard (11) against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Blazers 118-113. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Odds

Portland has been in the playoff mix the past few seasons, but that doesn’t seem nearly as likely this year given the turnover of their roster and the clear transition period that the franchise is entering. Their odds to win the title certainly reflect that, but they are also a bit strange at the same time.

Bovada lists the Trail Blazers’ odds to win the 2016 NBA Championship at +15000. While that clearly paints them as a long shot to win the title, as they should be, those are the same odds given to the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns and are better odds than those given to the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets. None of those teams have a real chance at winning the title either, but at least a couple of them have a much higher likelihood of success than the Blazers do this season.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers are listed at +7500 to win the Western Conference this season, again placing them towards the bottom of the conference, but also again putting them even with the Suns and over the Nuggets and Kings. That’s still a curious way to look at those teams in comparison to one another.

However, the Blazers’ odds to win the Northwest Division seem accurate. They and the Minnesota Timberwolves are listed at +5000 to win the division with the Jazz, Nuggets and the favorites in the Oklahoma City Thunder above them. That seems just about right for what I expect from Portland this season.

Next: Final Prediction

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