From Day 1 of the 2015-16 NBA season, the Portland Trail Blazers have had an underdog mentality. They were counted out and projected to fall into the deepest and dankest of Western Conference cellars before the year began. When they were struggling, they were tanking. When they were winning, they were a cute story of a team playing with house money.
Now, following a 108-98 Game 5 win over the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday, they’re one victory away from advancing to the second round to face the defending champion Golden State Warriors—a team that happens to hold the remarkable distinction of best regular-season team ever.
Although X’s and O’s are going to be increasingly important for the Blazers the further into the postseason they advance, their disposition will play an equally crucial role. Stopping the Warriors’ scorers and attacking their elite defense will be the foundation for success, but none of that will be possible without a killer’s approach.
The truth is, it would be easy for Portland to finally let up. Not only has it far exceeded what most considered possible, it’s also gained advantages along the way. The Blazers caught a monumental break when Chris Paul fractured his hand in Game 4, and then again when Blake Griffin re-injured his quad just minutes later (both are done for the postseason).
Combine all that with Portland’s second-round opponent being short the best player on the planet at the moment, and it’s easy to picture the team tucked away in the Pacific Northwest becoming content, if not a bit cocky.
But while the Blazers have certainly stumbled upon their share of good luck this postseason, they’ve also made their own luck throughout the year. During the preseason, Lillard organized a team trip to San Diego. The newcomers and the OG’s worked out during a time of the summer when it wasn’t required, and everyone bonded on a personal level to build the chemistry a group of virtual strangers would need to trust each other in battle.
Being friends, of course, does not a contender make…but look at a team like the Houston Rockets. They entered the year with expectations of a deep postseason run, yet their disappointing play and putrid chemistry dominated headlines up until their first-round elimination Wednesday night.
The truth is that while this discussion ultimately applies to what comes next, we can’t forget one small detail: Portland’s current series still exists. But the same conversation applies. The Blazers are favorites—virtually for the first time all season—yet that’s not how they need to (or will, if we know them at all) approach Game 6.
There are going to be people who say Portland doesn’t deserve this series because of the circumstances. Those same detractors will say Portland won’t win against Golden State, but that if it does find some semblance of success, it’s only because Stephen Curry, the presumed MVP, is sidelined to start the best-of-seven.
Luckily for this team, it thrives when it has a chip on its collective shoulder. Lillard thrives when he has a chip on his shoulders.
Block out the haters? Not a chance. Rip City embraces the hate.
It’s going to take a strong effort and a strong mentality to continue this run.
You’d be crazy to think the Blazers show up without one or the other for Game 6 and beyond.
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