3 on 3 Blazers

3 on 3 Blazers

By KGW, NBA, Portland Trail BlazersSportsBasketball
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3 on 3 Blazers episodes

  • Will the Blazers make the playoffs?
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we gauge our confidence level in Portland's playoff chances, debate which was the worst thing to happen to the Blazers this season, and make predictions for the next four games.
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    1 hr 10 min
  • Will the Blazers make the playoffs?
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we gauge our confidence level in Portland's playoff chances, debate which was the worst thing to happen to the Blazers this season, and make predictions for the next four games.
    Get more Blazers coverage at kgw.com/blazers
    1. The Blazers have lost two of three since the All-Star break and they're still without Damian Lillard. But they've actually gained a game and a half on the Grizzlies, who have lost four in a row. With 23 games left, Portland trails eighth-place Memphis by just 2.5 games. On a scale of 1-10, what's your confidence level that the Blazers will make the playoffs this season?
    Jared: I'll put my confidence level at a 4. I expect Memphis to continue to struggle because of its difficult schedule and injuries to key players. But I think the team that has the best chance of surging past Memphis — and the Blazers — is New Orleans. Zion Williamson is incredible, and the Pelicans have talent, good health and an easier schedule than the Blazers. I'm not counting the Blazers out, but a lot of uncertain things have to turn in Portland's favor. Damian Lillard needs to return in the next few games, and the Blazers need Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins back soon, as well, to shore up their depth. Once Lillard and hopefully one or both of Nurkic and Collins are back, I think Portland can go on a run considering their soft schedule. Until Lillard gets back, the Blazers must beat the bad teams on their schedule. They have to stay ahead of the Pelicans, because New Orleans is going to win a lot of games down the stretch and they have the tiebreaker against Portland.
    Nate: I’ll say a 2. Not as low as it was during the All-Star break, but I still have very little confidence they’ll finish the season ahead of both Memphis and New Orleans. The things the Blazers need to happen have happened over the last week. Memphis has lost all four of its games since the All-Star break and will continue to have a difficult schedule the rest of the season. Meanwhile, after Thursday’s game against Indiana, Portland has a six-game stretch against teams below .500 before they play Memphis again. So, the schedule would suggest Portland can make up ground. But I still believe Memphis is a better team than the Blazers. They beat Portland before the All-Star break and I don’t expect the Blazers will beat Memphis in both of the two remaining matchups this season to make up ground on them head-to-head. And Memphis may not be the team that should worry the Blazers the most. New Orleans is just half a game behind Portland, has won 8 of their last 12 games, has a favorable schedule and owns the tiebreaker over the Blazers.
    Orlando: So much of this question revolves around the health of Damian Lillard. If he’s back this week, I like their chances and would put it at a 6 or even a 7. Without him, they are done. The longer it takes for their All-Star to get back, the lower their chances are of making the playoffs. With 23 games left, the 8 seed is there for the taking, especially with 2 games against Memphis, in Portland. It’s a 3-4 team race for the final spot. Laugh at me if you want, but I’m actually looking forward to seeing how the race for the 8 seed plays out.
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    1 hr 10 min
  • Can CJ McCollum step up with Damian Lillard out?
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we talk about Damian Lillard being out for the next few games, the development of Gary Trent Jr. and Anfernee Simons, whether criticism of CJ McCollum is justified, and make predictions for the next three games.
    Get more Blazers coverage at kgw.com/blazers
    The Portland Trail Blazers have had a nice, long break during the NBA's All-Star festivities and now they have 26 games left in the regular season to achieve their goal of making the playoffs.
    To get there, they'll have to make up some ground with the eighth-place Grizzlies holding a four-game lead in the standings over the Blazers. And they'll have to start that pursuit without their best player.
    The biggest question for Portland is Damian Lillard's health. Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported last Thursday he'd miss a week or two with a strained groin. A couple days ago during a radio interview, head coach Terry Stotts said, "maybe a week, maybe a month." Then on Thursday, KGW's Orlando Sanchez reported that Lillard said he'll likely miss three to five games.
    The next few games will be a tough stretch for the Blazers without Lillard. The next three games are at home, but they're against the Pelicans, who are 3-0 against Portland this season; the Celtics, one of the best teams in the East; and the Pistons, which gives Portland a chance at a victory. Then a road trip begins against a talented Pacers team with star guard Victor Oladipo back in its lineup.
    After these four games, the Blazers have an easy schedule down the stretch and two head-to-head matchups at home against the Grizzlies. So there's still hope. But there's so little margin for error right now, losing Lillard even for the next few games could push the Blazers too far back to rally.
    Nipping on the Blazers' heels are the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans. Both of those teams have easy schedules down the stretch, just like the Blazers, and they're not dealing with the kind of injuries that are plaguing Portland.
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we talk about Damian Lillard being out the next few games, the development of Gary Trent Jr. and Anfernee Simons, whether criticism of CJ McCollum is justified, and make predictions for the next three games.
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    59 min
  • Can CJ step up with Dame out?
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we talk about Damian Lillard being out for the next few games, the development of Gary Trent Jr. and Anfernee Simons, whether criticism of CJ McCollum is justified, and make predictions for the next three games.
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    59 min
  • With Dame hurt, can Blazers rally to make playoffs?
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we talk about Damian Lillard's injury and whether the Blazers can still make the playoffs, discuss the potential return of Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins, revisit our worst preseason predictions and make one big prediction each for the rest of the season.
    Get more Blazers coverage at kgw.com/blazers
    1. Damian Lillard is hurt and the Blazers are now five games back in the loss column for the final playoff spot in the West. Are the playoffs still possible?
    Nate: Any hope remaining for the Blazers to make the playoffs is on life support. The only reason I'm still saying they have a sliver of hope is because of Damian Lillard. He didn't seem too concerned that the injury he suffered against Memphis would keep him out an extended period, so I don't expect him to miss much time. We've already seen him carry this team for a two-week stretch this season. And a three-game losing streak by Memphis could put Portland right back in the thick of the race. But the Grizzlies are 22-10 in their last 32 games. If they play .500 the rest of the season, they'll be 42-40, which I would put on the low end of what their record will be at the end of the season. That means Portland would have to finish the season 17-9 to get to 42-40. That seems like too big of a hole for the Blazers to dig themselves out of, but I'll give them a slim chance because of Lillard.
    Orlando: If this Damian Lillard injury is serious and he's missing games, it's a wrap. If he's OK, then they've still got a chance. Anyone who legitimately follows this team knows you can't count them out with Lillard on the court. After the Memphis game he said, "Don’t think that was just it." He was referring to the two-week tear he went on. He might not average 45 points per game but he is going to play at a high level and elevate the guys around him. He does it every year. The Blazers have 26 games left and they have one of the easiest remaining schedules, while Memphis will be put to the test with arguably the strongest schedule in the league. Portland will have opportunities to catch them. They just have to hope they don't end up in a tie breaker situation with New Orleans. The Blazers have their work cut out for them, five back in the loss column, but to write them off, I'm not going there yet. This is setting up to be an entertaining race to the finish.
    Jared: The Blazers are now four games behind the Grizzlies for the final playoff spot in the West and five games back in the loss column. In the past 10 seasons, only one team has been that far back at the break and still made the playoffs (h/t Matt Moore). The Blazers face an uphill, almost unprecedented climb to get into the playoffs. You never want to count out Damian Lillard, but you also can't count on him because at this time, we're still unsure of his injury status. If it's a Grade 1 strain, he could be back shortly after the All-Star break. If it's a Grade 2 strain, he could miss a couple months. If Lillard comes back shortly after the break, it's not over. Many of the reasons for optimism still exist. Dame is really good. The team could get Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins back. Memphis has the toughest-remaining schedule in the league while Portland has one of the easiest. The Blazers have two games left against the Grizzlies, both at home. But if Dame has to miss a significant amount of time, it's over. The Blazers are 10 points worse per 100 possessions this season without Lillard on the court. The team has had a negative net rating when he's been off the court each of the past four season, and during that same timeframe, Portland is 10-10 in the 20 games Lillard has missed. That’s not good enough. If the Blazers want to make the playoffs for the seventh season in a row, they'll have to be much better than a .500 team after the break.
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    1 hr 2 min
  • With Dame hurt, can Blazers rally to make playoffs?
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we talk about Damian Lillard's injury and whether the Blazers can still make the playoffs, discuss the potential return of Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins, revisit our worst preseason predictions and make one big prediction each for the rest of the season.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    1 hr 2 min
  • Reacting to the trade deadline
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we react to the moves the Blazers made and the moves they didn't make at the deadline. We also make predictions for the next five games, answer your questions, and play a rousing game of Rip It!
    Get more Blazers coverage at https://www.kgw.com/blazers
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    1 hr 16 min
  • Reacting to the trade deadline
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we react to the moves the Blazers made and the moves they didn't make at the deadline. We also make predictions for the next five games, answer your questions, and play a rousing game of Rip It!
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    1 hr 16 min
  • Remembering Kobe, Dame’s dominance and Melo’s future

    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we talk about the death of Kobe Bryant, debate whether it's time for Blazers fans to believe in this team again, discuss Carmelo Anthony's desire to retire in Portland and make predictions for the next three games.

    Get more Blazers and NBA coverage at kgw.com/blazers

    1. The Blazers beat the Rockets, again. They've won five of eight. Dame got his first-triple double and is playing at the top of his game. Is this the start of another second-half surge for Portland? Should Blazers fans believe again?

    Nate: We had a similar question two weeks ago when the Blazers beat the Rockets and my answer was no. And while my answer is still no, it’s not as definitive as my answer two weeks ago. So, what’s the difference? The Blazers beat another good team in Indiana. Trevor Ariza is an upgrade from Kent Bazemore. And Damian Lillard is playing out-of-this-world ball right now. With all that said, the Blazers are still just 3-3 since beating Houston two weeks ago. Granted, it was against a stretch of schedule that could have gone 1-5. But the Blazers need to start making up ground at some point on Memphis and not just holding serve. And as great as Damian Lillard is, I don’t see him averaging 43.7 points, 9.2 assists per game and shooting 50% from beyond the arc the rest of the season. The Blazers have needed Lillard to play at this historic level in order to stay afloat the last six games. If his production dips, even just back to regular All-Star level, I’m not sure the Blazers will be able to win enough to make up ground and make the playoffs.

    Jared: Count me as a believer. In the past 13 games, the Blazers are 7-6, and their offense ranks fourth in the NBA. Their defense is still a train wreck, but they've been scoring enough to carry them to wins, even against good teams. In the past 13 games, Damian Lillard has been on a tear, averaging 34.8 points on 49.6% from the field and 45.8% from 3. The Blazers are getting contributions from Hassan Whiteside (16.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks), efficient scoring from CJ McCollum (19.3 points on 45.5% from the field and 41.1% from 3) and though it's been only three games, Trevor Ariza looks like he's just what the Blazers needed (finally, a real small forward!). Portland is also getting a little consistency from its bench. Over the past 10 games, Gary Trent Jr. and Nassir Little have actually helped the Blazers when they've been on the court lately. The Blazers haven't had many reserves you could say that about this season. In the past 10 games, Trent Jr. is averaging 10.3 points, shooting 42.3% from 3 and has a net rating of +7.2. Little's stats are fine even if they don't jump off the page, but his net rating is an impressive +6.2. Portland isn't likely to take off quite yet because their schedule remains tough. They face winning teams in eight of their next 12 games. But after that, the schedule gets much easier. Only seven of Portland's final 22 games are against winning teams. If Portland can keep their heads above water, they're poised for a really big run to end the season.

    2. Carmelo Anthony told The Portland Tribune's Kerry Eggers he wants to retire in Portland. Buy or sell? Anthony returns to the Blazers next season to finish his career in Portland.

    Nate: I’m going to sell this. But compared to where we were when Melo first signed with the Blazers in November to where we are now shows just how much both Melo and the Blazers have benefited from this partnership. The reason I say no is because I think Melo will garner interest from more teams this offseason now that his reputation has been stabilized. And given the Blazers' cap situation, I could see Melo going somewhere else where he has an opportunity to potentially make more money. If it’s not money, then the biggest factor will be what Melo values. If he values winning and is open to being a scorer off the bench, then I could see him staying with Portland. That would certainly be a dimension the Blazers would love to have. In Eggers’ story, Melo talked about how hard the adjustment to going to the bench was for him in Houston. So, as happy as he has been in Portland this year, I can't help but wonder if he's really willing to accept a bench role with fewer minutes and scoring opportunities.

    Jared: I've really enjoyed watching Carmelo Anthony on the Blazers this season. He's so fun to watch. I know he's inefficient. I know he's not an impactful defender. But I still really enjoy watching him play. He's also been great in the locker room and a great interview. The idea of Anthony returning next season to finish his career in Portland is appealing on some levels, but I'm going to have to sell this because I don't think the situation next season will match what Anthony wants. The reason this partnership has worked so well this season is because the Blazers had an available starting position, as many minutes as Anthony could handle, and a coach who wasn't going to try and turn Anthony into a player he isn't. I don't know if that seamless fit exists in Portland next season. Anthony's role would likely be as a high-scoring reserve, and I don't know if that's what he wants. It seems like he wants to be in a position where he can start and be a major part of a team's offense. And he may get better offers in free agency than what the Blazers want to pay him. There may be better fits elsewhere next season.

    54 min
  • Remembering Kobe, Dame’s dominance and Melo’s future
    On this week's episode of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, we talk about the death of Kobe Bryant, debate whether it's time for Blazers fans to believe in this team again, discuss Carmelo Anthony's desire to retire in Portland and make predictions for the next three games.
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    55 min

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