After an injury-marred year and a soft first-round exit, the Trail Blazers enter the 2010/2011 season under the radar. But, if healthy, they are the one team in the West who could dethrone LA.
Since the Pau Gasol heist of 2008, the Lakers have dominated the West. In a moment, one of the most competitive conferences in league history (all ’08 playoff teams won 50 games) became one of the most one-sided.
For the first time since Bill Russell’s Celtics in the 60′s, a team has a chance to win four straight conference titles. LA has been the No. 1 seed in the West the last three seasons and rolled through the playoffs with a 36-13 record against conference foes.
But, in looking at their struggles against Boston in the NBA Finals and their surprising seven-game series against an undermanned Houston squad in ’09, there is a blueprint to beat them. And Portland, more than any other team in the West, has it.
For a more in-depth look at why the other Western contenders lack this formula, check out
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Article written by Jonathan Tjarks
2010-11 NBA Predictions: Why the Lakers Should Fear the Portland Trailblazers
October 4th, 2010 by Jonathan Tjarks Leave a reply »
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