Portland Trail Blazers

Of course the Portland Trail Blazers are going to be on this list because they have a guy named Damian Lillard who may be the most clutch player and one of the best pure scorers in the league today. Not only is Lillard continuing to find ways to elevate his game, but even with both C.J. McCollum and Jusef Nurkic missing time this season due to injuries, Lillard has the Blazers very much in play for a top-seed in the Western Conference. 

Damian Lillard has played himself into the MVP conversation this year and for good reason. The 6x All-Star is averaging 29.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists and is shooting 44.8% from the floor, 38.2% from three-point range. 

Entering the year, there was a lot of hype surrounding the Portland Trail Blazers and many thought they could be a team that could contend for the top spot in the Western Conference, but given all of their injuries and the fact that they are a poor defensive team, many have seemed to give up on Portland. 

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That is a really bad idea because at full strength, they are definitely one of the more dangerous and lethal scoring teams in this league. Not only do they have Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, making up one of the best scoring backcourt duos in the league, but the Trail Blazers recently added breakout wing Norman Powell to their rotation. 

Before being traded at the NBA trade deadline, Powell was fantastic with the Toronto Raptors, averaging 19.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and shooting 43.9% from three-point range. He now gives the Trail Blazers yet another offensive weapon to utilize and someone who can be that third, reliable scoring option next to Lillard and McCollum, something the Blazers have been missing. 

With other key role players in Robert Covington, Jusef Nurkic, Carmelo Anthony, Enes Kanter and Derrick Jones Jr, the Portland Trail Blazers definitely have a chance to be one of the hottest teams entering the playoffs in the Western Conference and a team that none of the top teams in the West will want to play. 

This may be Portland’s best chance to make the NBA Finals, especially with Lillard playing at the highest-level of his career, which is why they are a sleeper team in the West to potentially make The Finals. 

“Dame D.O.L.L.A” never disappoints come playoff time and with the big addition of Norman Powell, the Portland Trail Blazers have made their intentions of competing for a championship this season very clear.