With eight seconds remaining, Erving put up a jumper in the lane but missed. Of the teams remaining in the ABA, four joined the NBA. The Blazers won their last 5 games to post a record of 49–33. “When you’re part of an organization like the Dallas Mavericks and there’s The Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns sit atop the Western Conference standings, and are much more favorable matchups for the Blazers. But in the 1977 playoffs, a healthy Walton and his teammates found a chemistry that enabled them to beat one of the most talented pro teams ever assembled. Lillard may not be fresh like these others, but he is due a big playoffs and will have extra motivation after last year going out in five games where he only got to play four due to injury. First, Portland's Lloyd Neal and McGinnis squared off, followed by Lucas and Erving trading elbows. [1] After losing the first two games of the championship series at Philadelphia, the Trail Blazers won four in a row to bring the trophy to Portland. Portland gives up a franchise-record 47 points in the first quarter and falls to 1-7 against the top five teams in the Western Conference. Jones and Dawkins handled Walton easily, while the Sixers dominated in the second quarter, scoring 14 points in one three-minute stretch on their way to a 61–43 halftime lead. [3], In Game 4, Portland opened up a quick 17-point lead, then cruised to a 130–98 win. Especially without Jamal Murray. On the court, when he was healthy, he was a key contributor. The Portland Trail Blazers look to move closer toward clinching a top-six position in the Western Conference when they host the woeful Houston Rockets on Monday night. Jan 28, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. With expectations at an all-time high after a strong off-season where they upgraded their starting five and their bench, this season has been disappointing in several ways. Twardzik, too, had returned to speed, driving the Portland offense along to a 42-point fourth quarter. As of 2020[update], this remains the only NBA Championship in Blazers franchise history, though they did make Finals appearances in 1990 and 1992, but lost to the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, respectively. Portland … Though the Jazz are hot at the moment, this type of form hasn’t always translated to the post-season. Takeaways helped Portland … He finished with 33 points and Collins had 30 as Philadelphia won 107–101. The Lakers have no way of reaching any of the top three seeds, while the Clippers are in the three-seed and are three games back from first and second. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports. [3], In Game 2 four nights later, the Sixers won handily, 107–89. Erving opened Game 1 with a stupendous dunk off the opening tip. The Blazers won their last 5 games to post a record of 49–33. [3] Trail Blazers Apr 5 Powered by Minute Media © 2021 All Rights Reserved. Nurk didn't play that time. Portland Trail Blazers: Terry Stotts likely to be fired if team doesn't have strong playoffs, Floyd Mayweather Brawls With Both Jake and Logan Paul at Press Conference, Ex Trail Blazers big Anderson Varejao signs with Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers end losing streak, take one in Indiana and Memphis, Portland Trail Blazers: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson signed for rest of season. The Portland Trail Blazers have had another up and down year in the stacked Western Conference. [3] Yet those dreams went largely unfulfilled because of a series of foot injuries that hampered him. Lucas led the team in scoring at 20.2 points per game and averaged better than 11 rebounds. Despite the changes, it would become the season of Bill Walton and the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers were rattled enough to commit 34 turnovers. Walton was sent to the bench with five fouls in the third. Note: This is not a complete list; only the first three rounds are covered, as well as any other picks by the franchise who played at least one NBA game. If the Blazers can get past either of these two teams in the first round, then there is a chance that the Lakers and Clippers meet in the first round, or that they are on the other side of the bracket altogether. The last time the franchise made it to the NBA Finals … Mikal Bridges (Phoenix Suns) with a dunk vs the Portland Trail Blazers, 05/13/2021 Anthony Davis and LeBron James are a nightmare matchup for the Blazers, while Paul George and Kawhi Leonard will be just as tough. With a second left, McGinnis tried to force a seventh and deciding game but he missed. The 1999–2000 NBA season was the 30th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. While the Blazers have been a consistent playoff team during his tenure, they have yet to advance past the Western Conference Finals. Portland won in seven games to advance to the Western Conference Finals, but fell to that season's NBA champion, Golden State. After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for two of the last three seasons, the The Sixers needed a turnover, and they finally got it from McGinnis, who was able to force a jump ball with Gross. The Blazers had a high scoring attack to win the game. The Suns are maybe a tougher matchup as their twin guards are hard to match up with. The American Basketball Association joined the NBA with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976. He missed 17 games over the 1976–77 season; the Blazers lost 12 of them. Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on Portland Trail Blazers and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Walton finished with 24 rebounds and 14 points. With expectations at an all-time high after a strong off-season where they upgraded their starting five and their bench, this season Neither Deandre Ayton nor Dario Saric are big men that are made for playoff basketball. On the other end though, the Suns’ lack of a strong defensive big man may be where they could beat them. Portland compiled a 53-29 record and finished third in the Western Conference for the second consecutive season. Coming over with Lucas from the ABA was lead guard Dave Twardzik. I Blazers hanno raggiunto le NBA Finals tre volte, vincendo il titolo nel 1977. A lack of consistency on the defensive end combined with their heavy shooting style on offense means that they are more suited to getting success in a playoff format. Walton had nine assists, 20 points, and 18 rebounds. If they had to face the Denver Nuggets, they could definitely beat them. [3], The Finals opened in the Spectrum on Sunday, May 22. [3], In Game 3, played on Sunday, May 29, Lucas strode directly to the Philadelphia bench, then startled everybody, including Dawkins, by sticking out his hand for a shake. If Dame could have a series or run similar to what we saw in the bubble last year, or the previous year against the Oklahoma City Thunder, then the Blazers could take the Jazz out. Portland Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard is about as faithful as they come in the NBA. Unfortunately, as has also been the narrative, it seems like the guys around him may not be enough to lift Portland to the NBA Finals. This Blazers team is a top-four team in the West when healthy, they just need some things to go their way. The revamped Blazers would end up getting off to a terrific start winning 22 of their first 31 games. Their main chance of success this season definitely lies in the playoffs. The two teams, the Kentucky Colonels and Spirits of St. Louis, which folded had their players assigned to a dispersal draft for draft purposes. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. defense have suffered because of poor schemes or lack of effort. The game became very physical with about five minutes left. I Portland Trail Blazers sono una delle trenta franchigie di pallacanestro che militano nella NBA (National Basketball Association), il campionato di basket professionistico degli Stati Uniti d'America. Portland’s defensive intensity forced Boston (34-31) into 18 turnovers, which the Trail Blazers converted into 25 points. A best of seven series is likely to be their best bet at making this season a success. Portland Trail Blazers news from FanSided Daily. The Portland Trail Blazers have had another up and down year in the stacked Western Conference. I don’t think any Blazer fan would be confident about a matchup with Jazz or Suns, but this gives the Blazers a puncher’s chance as they could have the best player in the series in Damian Lillard. The LA Clippers face the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center in a blockbuster Western Conference matchup on Tuesday. Just months earlier, the American Basketball Association had ended its ninth and last campaign and the two leagues combined. At the four-minute mark, the lead was cut to four, 102–98. This team, on its best days, can beat the likes of the Suns and Jazz. [3], Conference Semifinals: 4–2 (Home: 3–0; Road: 1–2), Conference Finals: 4–0 (Home: 2–0; Road: 2–0), "HickokSports.com – History – NBA 1976–77 Season", "NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania, 1976–77 Portland Trail Blazers Games – Basketball-Reference.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1976–77_Portland_Trail_Blazers_season&oldid=1015113559, Western Conference (NBA) championship seasons, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2020, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 30 March 2021, at 18:06. During the offseason, the Blazers acquired All-Star forward and 6-time champion Scottie Pippen from the Houston Rockets, acquired Steve Smith from the Atlanta Hawks, and signed free agent Detlef Schrempf. Over the last decade, the Portland Trail Blazers have relatively been the same team. Two years later, Dallas lost to San Antonio in the Western Conference finals before going the distance in 2006, losing in six games to Wade and the Heat. Robert Covington could guard Booker, and Norman Powell could guard Paul, but the Blazers don’t have exceptional man defenders for these types of guard threats. Stotts led the Portland Trail Blazers to the Western Conference finals in the 2018-19 season, where they eventually lost to the then defending … Walton’s college performance led to predictions that Walton would be pro basketball's next great player. Another key contributor was Lionel Hollins, a second-year player out of Arizona State who averaged nearly 15 points per game. Some of this has been out of their control due to injuries to key players; other things like defense have suffered because of poor schemes or lack of effort. Injuries repeatedly interrupted his progress as a pro player. Erving rallied the Sixers to make it respectable at the end, 110–104. The game came down to Devin Booker being able to sink two clutch free throws in the final seconds, with the Suns holding on to hope of finishing with the league's best record. The Celtics are looking to recover their form this season. He had managed 37 points in the game. The other thing playing into their hands is that the Los Angeles Lakers and potentially the LA Clippers will not hold the top seeds in the Western Conference. Because McCollum and Nurkic are fresh as they missed a large part of the season, this team can hit the playoffs fresh. Maurice Lucas was simply the most dominating power forward in the game, and his arrival only boosted Walton's effectiveness in the frontcourt. If the Blazers end up as the eight-seed, then there’s a chance that they don’t encounter either team in the first or second round. “They don't have the same team. The Boston Celtics take on the Portland Trail Blazers in an East vs West clash tonight. The Portland lead was still 12 with half of the fourth quarter left when Erving led his teammates on one final run. Devin Booker: Pair of clutch free-throws lift Phoenix Suns over Portland Trail Blazers in regular season classic The Phoenix Suns outlasted the Portland Trail Blazers in a regular season classic. With a little more than eight minutes left in Game 5, Portland led 91–69 and the crowd was headed home. The 1976–77 season was the Portland Trail Blazers' 7th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). There is a situation where the Blazers can beat a first-round team even if that is an upset on the books. Portland Trail Blazers make easy work of Denver Nuggets, win 132-116 to claim sixth seed in NBA playoffs: Game rewind Updated May 17, 2021; Posted May 16, 2021 20 For Walton, it wasn't a question of wanting to play but of being able to. The dispersal of ABA players had been particularly beneficial to the Blazers. The 76ers seemed unbeatable after the first two games. McGinnis hit a jumper, and the lead was only two points with 18 seconds left. The 1976–77 season was the Portland Trail Blazers' 7th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Blazers had a remarkable 45–6 record at home, which included a perfect 10–0 mark in the playoffs.[2]. By the time the Blazers had made it to the 1977 NBA Finals, the city of Portland was truly in the grips of "Blazermania". Free got the ball and lofted a baseline shot and missed too. The revamped Blazers would end up getting off to a terrific start winning 22 of their first 31 games. They won 129–107, closing the series gap to 2–1. Portland Trail Blazers: Terry Stotts likely to be fired if team doesn’t have strong playoffs, Grading each NBA Draft pick under Neil Olshey. The Blazers season hasn’t been all bad, with a four-game winning stretch on the road recently, and then a nice stretch when Jusuf Nurkic and CJ McCollum were injured when they rose into the top half of the standings, but they have been largely inconsistent this season. He had four pro seasons with the Virginia Squires of the ABA and was a starter in Ramsay's system. [1] The Blazers made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and proceeded to stampede through the postseason. Walton finished with 28 points and 20 rebounds. Lucas contributed 27 points and 12 rebounds. Kevin Love talks about how he’d love to play for the Portland Trail Blazers. Though there are a few what-ifs in these situations, the Lakers’ struggles combined with the Clippers being a few games back from the top, may mean that the Blazers can peak later in the season and make a potential run at the Conference finals. [3], In the sixth and deciding game, Walton had 20 points, 23 rebounds, eight blocks and seven assists. Gross scored 25 points to lead the Blazers, while Lucas had 20 with 13 rebounds. With Walton in the lineup, the Blazers were 44–21, and their .677 winning percentage during those games was the best in the league. The championship capped the team's first winning season. Walton knocked the loose ball away and ripped off his jersey, and hurled it into the crowd. Stotts entered the season amid increased pressure and did what he usually does – guide Portland to a good, not great, level.
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