The Portland Trail Blazers have the NBA’s easiest remaining schedule over the last two months of the regular season, in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage, according to a breakdown by NBA.com’s John Schuhmann (stats as of March 1).
The Blazers have the league’s easiest remaining schedule in regard to both cumulative opponent winning percentage (.428) and opposing defenses. Eleven of their 21 games are against teams that enter March in the bottom 10 defensively, while only three are against teams in the top
10.
Over Portland’s remaining 20 games, the Blazers play just six games against teams in the top six of either conference. Plus, two of those games come against the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs during the final week of the regular season, so who knows which players will be suiting up for the Western Conference contenders at that point. Outside of those six matchups, Portland plays 11 games over the final 20 against teams in the bottom-third of either conference.
For a team fighting to move up in the Western Conference standings and get out of the back-half of Play-In positioning, the softer schedule could be huge. The Blazers currently occupy the No. 10 seed in the conference, sitting a half-game back of the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 9, three games back of the Golden State Warriors at No. 8, and six games back of the Phoenix Suns at No. 7. The Blazers also sit 4.5 games above the rebuilding Memphis Grizzlies in the No. 11 spot, making a fall out of the Play-In unlikely,
Catching the Suns at No. 7 seems far too ambitious, but a surge ahead to the No. 8 seed appears possible for Portland with 20 games left, particularly with star Stephen Curry missing time with a knee injury. The difference between the back-half of the Play-In spots and the 8-7 range is crucial for a team’s chances to make the NBA Playoffs. During the Play-In Tournament, teams in the No. 8 or No. 7 spots get two chances to win one game to qualify for the Playoffs, whereas teams in the No. 10 or No. 9 spots must win two games in a row to advance.
So, the remaining schedule is setting Portland up for a legitimate chance to make a move in the standings. However, injuries to All-Star Deni Avdija and starting guard Shaedon Sharpe could make it hard for Portland to capitalize on the opportunity. The Blazers are just 2-4 after the All-Star break. That stretch includes a narrow win over the struggling Chicago Bulls and a 135-101 blowout loss to the .500 Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
The Blazers have a chance to start making hay when they take on the Grizzlies on the road on Wednesday.
