Portland Trail Blazers Complete 2016-17 Season Preview

September 19th, 2016 by Zach Buckley Leave a reply »

The Portland Trail Blazers' surprise 2016 playoff run was littered with asterisks.

They unexpectedly climbed an uncharacteristically watered-down Western Conference featuring a .500 playoff team (the Houston Rockets) for the first time since 1999. The Los Angeles Clippers roster Portland upset in the opening round lost All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to injury during the series.

But the Blazers' postseason series win—only their second since 2000—was still something to be celebrated. After losing four starters and its sixth man in the summer of 2015, Portland reached a level of success no one saw coming.

"Our season was supposed to be over two weeks ago according to everyone else," Blazers swingman Allen Crabbe said after the series clincher, per OPB.org's Anne M. Peterson.

The question now becomes: What's next for Rip City?

Last season was about more than seizing opportunity. The talent pool was underrated, as two-time All-Star Damian Lillard and 2016 Most Improved Player C.J. McCollum displayed during career years. Since both are under the age of 27, the pair could be in lin ...

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