Portland Trail Blazers 2008 Season Preview

With a budding nucleus & phenoms Greg Oden & Brandon Roy, the Trail Blazers could surprise in the Western Conference.

Portland Trail Blazers: 2007-08 Overview

The Portland Trail Blazers entered the 2007-08 NBA season already battered and bruised – with Greg Oden out for the season and Brandon Roy struggling with a nagging heel problem. Fans with Portland Trail Blazers tickets and critics alike had a “Wait until next year” mentality as the Portland Trail Blazers were headed back to the lottery even before the regular season started. However, Coach Nate McMillan refused to count out his young, talented, and deep Portland Trail Blazers team.

The Portland Trail Blazers, led by young gunners Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Travis Outlaw, got off to a slow start but turned it on in December, turning heads with an impressive 13-0 win streak that included big wins over Northwest Division rivals Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Seattle Supersonics. The Portland Trail Blazers stayed in the playoff picture, even late in the season, but their 41-41 record would not make the postseason cut in a stacked Western Conference. Despite missing the playoffs for the fifth-straight year, the Portland Trail Blazers season saw Brandon Roy emerge as an All-Star and a cornerstone of the Portland Trail Blazers franchise.

Portland Trail Blazers: Offseason

In the offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers lost starting SF James Jones to free agency, but the the Portland Trail Blazers are looking forward to their latest rookie additions: No. 11 draft pick Jerryd Bayless, No. 25 pick Nicolas Batum, 2007 draft pick Rudy Fernandez, and of course the 2007 No. 1 draft pick Greg Oden, who was looking good as he recovers from season-ending surgery. The additions give Portland one of the deepest rosters and plenty of explosive young talent to have expectations soaring high in Blazerland.   

Portland Trail Blazers: Offense

Coming off an All-Star season, Brandon Roy (19.1 PPG, 5.8 APG) is ready to do it all again and should be the Trail Blazers’ No. 1 offensive option this year. Portland Trail Blazers tickets will feature a slew of scoring threats, including Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez. Center Greg Oden will bring strength and power in the post, while guard Rudy Fernandez will bring energy to the backcourt and plenty of fire from the three-point line.

LaMarcus Aldridge continues his meteoric rise as a future NBA superstar, turning in an average of 17.8 PPG. Travis Outlaw (13.3 PPG) came up big in clutch situations last season and will be one of the Portland Trail Blazers’ go-to guys in the fourth quarter. With such explosive offensive weapons on board and big men like Greg Oden able to score some points, the Portland Trail Blazers can transition from an up-tempo style to a half-court set with ease.

Portland Trail Blazers: Defense
While the Portland Trail Blazers are explosive on offense, fans with Portland Trail Blazers tickets feature a threatening defense to boot. Joel Przybilla (8.4 RPG, 1.21 BPG) and LaMarcus Aldridge (7.6 RPG, 1.24 BPG) were defensive standouts last season. This season, expect more of the same from Przybilla and Aldridge, while Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez should bring some punch on defense. Greg Oden’s 7-foot, 250-pound frame will be an intimidating road block in the paint, while Rudy Fernandez will bring energy on both sides of the ball.
Portland Trail Blazers: Lineup

Point Guard: Steve Blake, Jerryd Bayless
Shooting Guard: Brandon Roy, Rudy Fernandez
Small Forward: Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw
Power Forward: LaMarcus Aldridge, Channing Frye
Center: Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla

Portland Trail Blazers: Outlook

Fans with Portland Trail Blazers tickets can expect the rejuvenated Portland Trail Blazers to turn some heads this season. They’ve got exciting rookies, versatility and one of the deepest rosters in the league at their disposal. Coach Nate McMillan will give teams different looks, whether it’s an up-tempo or half-court offense. If the Portland Trail Blazers can stay healthy this season – particularly Brandon Roy and Greg Oden – then the rest of the West better watch out for these young gunners. The Portland Trail Blazers have the talent to surpass their 41 wins of last season, compete for the Northwest Division title against the likes of the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz, and sneak into the playoff picture as well.