Portland Trail Blazers
2017-18 record: 49-33
2017-18 season series: 1-1
2018-19 advantage: Sixers
The Blazers claimed the third seed in the West last season, surpassing most preseason expectations in the process. Their playoff hopes, however, were quickly dashed. New Orleans pulled off the sweep with minimal resistance.
Now Portland enters the season with questions about the Damian Lillard–CJ McCollum pairing. Their supporting cast didn’t offer much support either, as Jusuf Nurkic struggled to maintain effectiveness against more versatile lineups.
Even with valid concerns, the Blazers will be a good team next season. Lillard is a top-5 point guard and McCollum is a fringe All-Star candidate. The West is loaded, but their defensive personnel and lead duo is enough to earn another postseason berth.
We’ve seen Nurkic defend Embiid well in past matchups, but Philly is still the superior team. Portland has some firepower and plays both ends well, but the Sixers are the superior group right now.