Portland Trail Blazers LINES, ODDS, PICKS AND REVIEWS

How is the Portland Trail Blazers' History?

Portland Trail Blazers is an American professional basketball team from Portland, Oregon (NBA) playing in the Northwest Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Trail Blazers have a championship in the NBA (1977), and three conference crowns are all to their name (1977, 1990, and 1992).

Before relocation to the Moda Center in 1995, the team played its home games at Memorial Coliseum (called the Rose Garden until 2013). Expansion in 1970 brought a strong fan base, with 814 consecutive home games sold from 1977 to 1995, the longest such sequence in American major professional sports at the time. 

Only the Boston Red Sox have since surpassed this record. After the Vancouver Grizzlies relocated to Memphis and became the Memphis Grizzlies in 2001 and the Seattle SuperSonics migrated to Oklahoma City and became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008, the Trail Blazers are the only NBA team established in the Pacific Northwest.

How Were the Portland Trail Blazers Founded?

In 1970, the Trail Blazers became an expansion team. In honor of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which finished near present-day Portland, their name was chosen. Each of their first four seasons and five of their first six seasons, the Blazers finished last in their division, earning the moniker "the Blazers" from both fans and the media. Sidney Wicks, a forward-center who was picked by the team in 1971 and voted an all-star in his first four NBA seasons, was a shining point during those years.

When Harry Glickman suggested two new NBA franchises in 1955, he included Portland as one of them. The second team would be based in Los Angeles. It wasn't until February 6, 1970, that the NBA board of governors awarded Glickman the right to own a team in Portland after he spotted the Memorial Coliseum's potential as a professional basketball venue. 

Glickman teamed with real estate moguls Robert Schmertz of New Jersey, Larry Weinberg of Los Angeles, and Herman Sarkowsky of Seattle to generate the $3.7 million admission tax. Team management organized a name-picking contest two weeks later, on February 24, and received more than 10,000 entries. "Pioneers," the most popular choice, was ruled out due to its use by Lewis & Clark College sports teams in Portland. 

The name "Trail Blazers" was chosen from 172 submissions, with the announcement made during halftime of a SuperSonics game at the Memorial Coliseum on March 13. Glickman thought the name could "represent both the harshness of the Pacific Northwest and the beginnings of a big-league era in our state," reflecting the pioneering spirit of early explorers who blazed trails through the woods. Although the term Trail Blazers was initially met with skepticism, it quickly became a household name in Oregon.

How is the Portland Trail Blazers Clyde Drexler Era?

In his debut season, he averaged 7.7 points per game while playing 17.2 minutes each game. A greater amount of time on the court led to an increase of all of these stats from the previous season's 17.5 points per game to 17.2 points per game. Averaging 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, eight assists, and 2.6 steals, Drexler made his first All-Star squad in his third season. 

After averaging 26.4 points and 7.8 rebounds, Drexler led the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals in the 1989–90 season, but his team fell in five games to the Detroit Pistons. Portland's 63–19 record in the 1990–1991 season was a franchise record for Drexler. The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals, despite being heavily predicted to win the West.

Michael Jordan was the MVP of the 1991–92 NBA season and was named to the All-NBA First Team. As a point guard, Drexler was known for his ability to swoop down and float in the air. He guided the Blazers to two NBA Finals appearances but lost to the Pistons and the Bulls each time. At least a few kids in Portland are still sporting Drexler jerseys because of his impact on this game. This is his legacy.

The table below shows the career summary of Clyde Drexler:

How is the Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard Era?

Lillard was chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers with the sixth pick in the 2012 NBA draft. Lillard joined Oscar Robertson and Allen Iverson as the only players in NBA history with at least 20 points and ten assists in their debuts on October 31 against the Los Angeles Lakers in the season opener. Jason Kidd's record-setting 11 assists in his NBA debut in 1994 was the most by a rookie since then; it was the most ever by a Trail Blazer rookie. 

On January 11, against the Golden State Warriors, Lillard scored 37 points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out four assists en route to a career-high 15 field goals and a Trail Blazer rookie record of seven 3-pointers. In winning the Skills Challenge, he became the first Trail Blazer to win an event at the NBA All-Star Weekend.

Lillard has proven to be a strong leader and role model in the Blazers' locker room and has shown a steadfast dedication to a team that has struggled mightily under his watch.

Lillard has averaged 24.7 points per game throughout his career, leading Portland to its first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2000. He's played in six NBA All-Star Games.

The table below shows the career summary of Damian Lillard:

How is the Portland Trail Blazers' Bill Walton Era?

ABA's Dallas Chaparrals drafted Walton as an underclassman in the 1973 ABA draft to lure him away from UCLA. San Diego Conquistadors players courted Walton in 1974 after the ABA selected him in the 1974 draft. Wilt Chamberlain had also been hired as a player coach by San Diego. Walton refused to be persuaded.

The Portland Trail Blazers selected Walton first overall in the 1974 NBA draft. The Trail Blazers have signed Walton to a contract.

Two seasons in Portland were hampered by Walton's inability to play because of foot ailments. When Walton was in his first two years on the team, he sprained an ankle and shattered his left wrist twice. He also dislocated two toes and two fingers.

Averaging 12.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 blocks in 35 games, Walton was one of the most dominant rookies in NBA history at the time. Under the guidance of player/coach Lenny Wilkens, the Trail Blazers ended 38–44 with Geoff Petrie, Sidney Wicks, and LaRue Martin on the roster.

In 51 games with rookies Bob Gross and Lionel Hollins in 1975–76, Walton averaged 16.1 points, 13.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.6 blocks.

Simply put, Walton was unbeatable in 1977 when they won the championship. The NBA's leading scorer, rebounder, and blocker averaged more than 18 points per game this season (3.2). He had an uncanny understanding of the game and could intimidate opponents on the inside. However, Walton's career was cut short by injuries. When he was healthy, Blake Walton was a force to be reckoned with for the Blazers, despite his brief time with the team. In each of Walton's four healthy seasons (more on that in a second), he averaged double-doubles, made two All-Star teams, and earned MVP in 1978.

The table below shows the career summary of Bill Walton:

What are the Symbols of Portland Trail Blazers?

The Portland Trail Blazers have four primary symbols, all of which feature the iconic "Blazer" name and a basketball. The most popular and wide-recognized logo is the round Blazer logo, which features a white basketball decorated with a red trailblazer. This logo is used on the team's jerseys and merchandise and is probably the most associated image. 

What is the Portland Trail Blazers' Logo?

The Blazers' logo is a pinwheel with five guys on each side. It's one of the unique logos in the NBA and stands out compared to other teams. 

The graphic depicts a basketball game in progress, with offensive and defensive players moving around the court to score points. The curved lines indicate the players' movements, illustrating how quickly they must react to keep up with the game. The different colors represent the different team jerseys. The Trail Blazers' founder and first general manager, Harry Glickman, is the cousin of the graphic architect.

The Trailblazers' initial logo design consisted of vertical black and red lines. 'Portland' in black at the top, with 'trail' and 'blazers' in red and black at the bottom.

Flipping the red and black on the pinwheel was made easier in 1992 by tilting it 45 degrees. Just to the right of the logo is the wordmark "BLAZERS," written in an upright bold typeface.

It was only in 2003 that the designers added the silver; the ends of the lines were tapered, black was used as a border, and red was moved back to where it was in 1970. As a result, the logo appears to be three-dimensional. Blazers wordmark in black and red. In 2004, a three-dimensional black background with a silver border was added to the pinwheel. The wordmark "PORTLAND" and "BLAZERS" in white with a red trim were added on top and bottom, respectively.

In 2017, the pinwheel's primary hue changed from silver to white, with red moving to the top and white – rather than silver – falling to the bottom. The pinwheel's angles and ends have also undergone a modest redesign, and the results are rather attractive.

In addition, the font has been changed with serifs on both the "P" and "T," and the lines are now at a 45-degree angle, which depicts "the 45th Parallel North that leads on a path to the Northwest region," according to the team. In Salem, everybody driven by the 45th Parallel sign on I-5 knows this.

How is the Portland Trail Blazers' Uniform?

The Portland Trail Blazers' Uniform is white and red, representing the home and road colors, respectively. They used a swooping tail to emphasize the final letter in both uniforms (home and road) from 1970 to 1975. The team name was inscribed vertically on the right side of the 1975–1977 uniforms; the team wore this outfit during the team's 1977 championship season.

The Portland Trail Blazers debuted a fourth alternate jersey for the 2009–10 season, which included the team's 'Rip City' nickname and a more modest version of the "blaze" on the side. In the 2014–15 season, the team added sleeves to this outfit. The designers revamped the Blazers' red alternate suit for the 2012–13 season to include black text, a more contemporary "blaze" strip, and a pinwheel emblem on top.

The Portland Trail Blazers made a few tweaks to their uniforms for the 2017–18 season, including the addition of the 'Rip City' nickname on the waistline and the alignment of the city and team names from italics to straight. A black and grey "blaze" strip inspired by the team's pinwheel logo and a lack of white accents were added to their red alternate jersey. White letters, white numbers with black trim, and a thin white strip above the black and grey stripes of the "Statement" jersey were added for the 2019–20 season. This change was necessitated by concerns about the former red uniform's visibility.

What are the Portland Trail Blazers' Colors?

The Portland Trail Blazers' colors are red, black, and white.

The table belows shows the specific color codes of the Portland Trail Blazers:

Who are the Portland Trail Blazers' Players?

The Portland Trail Blazers' starting players are:

• Didi Louzada
• Brandon Williams
• Keon Johnson
• CJ Elleby
• Reggie Perry

Portland has wasted Damian Lillard's prime. With Lillard unable to make a major impact, it appears that the Trail Blazers are incapable of making a major impact. Without a player to complement Damian Lillard like C.J. McCollum, the Blazers have struggled to build a team around him over the past few seasons. Injuries, coaching, or defense may be to blame, but there's only one way to find out for certain. Damian Lillard is expected to start, as well as Robert Covington and Norman Powell for the Portland Trail Blazers as Jusuf Nurkic comes off the bench.

Damian Lillard is at the top of the Portland Trail Blazers starting lineup. He's one of the league's most durable players and has blossomed into a star. Another small school guard, CJ McCollum, comes next with a chip on his shoulder.

The Blazers' offense is built around these two. They are the only two on the team to average more than 20 points per game. Adding Carmelo Anthony was one of the most notable additions for Portland. He's played power forward and has given them useful minutes, averaging almost 30 a night. 

Hassan Whiteside was brought in to replace Jusuf Nurkic as the starting center once he suffered an injury during the playoffs, and the Blazers' frontcourt was bolstered with Trevor Ariza.

How did Jody Allen's Ownership Affect the Portland Trail Blazers?

Jody Allen is an American businesswoman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She served as the company's CEO from 1986 until 2015 and is the sister of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The latter founded Vulcan Inc., Co-founder and president of the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. She is also a member of the board.

When Allen's brother passed away in October of last year, he named her executor and trustee of his estate. As such, she is now responsible for ensuring that the terms of her brother's will are followed and that any tax authorities or other parties interested in his projects are satisfied. The Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League, the Octopus superyacht, the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association, and a minority stake in the Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC were among the assets she inherited after her husband's death.

Following months of rumors, Jody Allen, the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, has made what appears to be a clear statement regarding the team's immediate future: It isn't for sale. At least not right now, and not until maybe never.

Since the death of former owner Paul Allen four years ago, the future of Portland's NBA franchise has been uncertain.

On June 10, several news outlets reported that Nike co-founder Phil Knight was leading a group that had made an offer to buy the Blazers for $2 billion. In June, NBA president Adam Silver said Jody Allen would have to sell the team — no matter what.

According to the report, that date could be years out.

How are the Portland Trail Blazers' last five years?

The table shows the Portland Trail Blazers' last five years:

How is the Portland Trail Blazers' season-by-season record?

The table shows the Portland Trail Blazers' season-by-season record:

Who are the Rivals of the Portland Trail Blazers?

The biggest rival of the Portland Trail Blazers is the Los Angeles Lakers. The rivalry started in 1970 when the Lakers beat the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals. 

The rivalry started in 1970 when the Lakers beat the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals. The Portland Trail Blazers completed a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, becoming the first team in NBA history to do so. It was a historic victory for the Blazers, who had never won a conference title.

It was a humiliating defeat for the Lakers, one of the league's top teams. Led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Lakers had won several NBA Championships and were favored to win again that year. But the Trail Blazers were simply too much for them.

In early 2017, the Lakers came to Portland just to see how long it took Damian Lillard to score. All of the points were scored by Damian Lillard, who had 37 of them. Brandon Ingram was caught in a one-on-one situation with Lillard. Lillard retreated beyond the three-point arc and knocked down a three-over Ingram's outstretched hand to give Portland a lead. What Lillard does, he does it well.

What Is the Average Cost for Portland Trail Blazers’ Tickets?

The average cost for a Portland Trail Blazers’  ticket is $72. The cost of tickets for the Portland Trail Blazers varies depending on the game and seating location. Games against popular opponents, such as the Golden State Warriors or the Cleveland Cavaliers, tend to be more expensive than other games. Tickets for seats in lower-level sections close to the court are also typically more costly than seats in upper-level sections. 

Where to Buy Portland Trail Blazers Tickets?

You can buy Portland Trail Blazers tickets through Ticketmaster. They are the official ticketing partner of the NBA.