Ideally we’d all like to believe that the Portland Trail Blazers will challenge the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves for supremacy in the NBA’s Western Conference this season. Realistically that kind of run isn’t on the table for Portland’s crew just yet. The Blazers are on their way up, but the elevator might not reach the top floor in 2025.
The Blazer’s Edge staff was debating this matter internally and we’re going to throw open the conversation to readers today.
What teams (in either conference) would you name as Portland’s real competitors this season? By “real” we mean, “Teams you look at as barometers given the Blazers’ status and strength right now”. Trail Blazers vs. Thunder isn’t a fair fight. Portland would be punching outside of their weight class. Who is in Portland’s class though? What teams would you look at and say, “If the Blazers do well against them, we’re getting somewhere”?
You can target specific opponents or name a range. For instance, I instinctively thought of the Phoenix Suns on the lower end of the spectrum. If the Blazers don’t beat them out, something might be wrong. The Sacramento Kings formed the upper end of the wishlist. If the Blazers finish ahead of them, the Play-In Tournament is a really strong possibility and the playoffs aren’t out of the question.
Who makes your list of weight class rivals for the Blazers this year? Share your answers in the comment section below!
