Damian Lillard Won't Like Blazers' Vegas Odds

The Portland Trail Blazers were bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season, which is the fifth time they’ve failed to advance to the second round in the Damian Lillard era. Portland decided a change needed to be made and fired Terry Stotts. The Blazers brought in Chauncey Billups to replace him, but the oddsmakers still think the Blazers will be in the same position as last season.

I’m sure Damian Lillard won’t be happy when he sees this. 

WynnBET released its odds for all NBA teams to make or miss the playoffs. While the Blazers are predicted to make the playoffs, they have the eighth-best odds in the Western Conference which suggests they are going to sneak into the postseason by way of the play-in tournament. 

Portland was the No. 6 seed last season and lost to the Denver Nuggets in six games. Losing is never acceptable, and it was worse in this situation. Denver was missing Jamal Murray and Will Barton, two of its top guards, and the Blazers were still unable to stop the remaining backcourt of Monte Morris and Austin Rivers.

Lillard expressed his frustration to Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes this offseason about the team’s losing. 

“We’re not losing a lot, but we were eliminated by a shorthanded Denver team that I felt we should have beat. I just walked away from that really disappointed,” Lillard said. “I was like, ‘Man, this just isn't going to work.’ We're not winning the championship, but we’ve got a successful organization.” 

During the Lillard-era in Portland, the Blazers peaked in the 2018-19 season. They won 53 games and made the Western Conference Finals. Although they were swept by the Golden State Warriors, Portland had a little hope moving forward. Lillard has gotten better since then, but the rest of the team hasn’t followed. 

The Blazers have stayed consistent with their backcourt of Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but the frontcourt has been a revolving door. Jusuf Nurkic suffered a gruesome leg injury and missed most of the 2019-20 season. Carmelo Anthony spent the last two seasons with the Blazers but is now with the Los Angeles Lakers. Zach Collins, now a San Antonio Spur, was a failed lottery pick. Something is always happening with Portland’s depth and it is affecting the playoff chances. 

If Portland stays the way it is, this will be life. The Blazers will continue to sneak into the playoffs only to be eliminated quickly. 

Will the Trail Blazers make a deep run this year? Download the WynnBET app and make your pick today.