As August turns to September, NBA analysts and pundits are beginning to predict which teams will have a successful 2024-25 campaign, vying for the 2025 championship title. NBA Playoffs and the next championship trophy. Portland Trail Blazers Noticeably absent from these discussions (and most others across the league) is talk of last season’s games. Portland could have its moment in May, but that will likely have to wait until the ping-pong balls fall in the draft lottery. They’re not expected to do much this season except lose.
It’s not the most exciting news for Trail Blazers fans, as evidenced by this question from the Blazer’s Edge mailbag.
Dave,
Is there any hope? I would like to know how you approach a season like this where the team seems to be in a dead end before it even starts. I saw the calendar and started counting the wins and had to stop before the end of December because it was too depressing. Help!
Pax
Yeah, you don’t really want to dwell on the schedule in a season like this. It hardly matters. “Difficult” is the only word that can describe it.
The first step in negotiating the year will be to remember that we’ve been here before. Just before Brandon Roy arrived, the Blazers were in bad shape. Damian Lillard arrived under similar circumstances. Almost every NBA team has a cycle. Portland is at the bottom of it. After every dip comes a rise. Walk the valley long enough and you’ll eventually hit the hill.
Another piece of advice is to accept losing, but never rejoice in it. I find this important for my mental health as a basketball player. I am never surprised when the Blazers lose a game in a year like this. I fully acknowledge that it can be to their advantage, given the way the lottery works. I am perfectly fine with losses after they happen. But I can’t bring myself to hope they lose, much less cheer for them. It makes you jaded quickly.
Every game is a new opportunity. Every shot counts until the score gets out of hand. As long as there is a chance, you root for your team to win, period. Better to be slightly disappointed when the horn sounds than to brag about being right but not be able to escape the vicious spiral of resentment toward your team.
Statistics change when defeat becomes a given. The franchise and its fans must click on the high beam, judging events based on their applicability to the future. Individual talent trumps team fit or construction. You don’t ask yourself if this guy helps today, but rather if he’s a building block for tomorrow. Growth charts matter A LOT. They’re the only way out of trouble. A new development in Scoot Henderson’s game is far more meaningful than his overall stats or the team’s win total.
Throughout the season, we’ll be looking for Legos, not admiring kits. Luckily, you can find new ones every week, even if it’s just a glimmer of hope because someone has had a hot streak.
Finally, remember that the purpose of the business doesn’t change when losses pile up. Professional sports exist to entertain you and, at least in our case, to facilitate reflection and conversation within the community. The entertainment value of a struggling team may be slightly lower, but the potential for meaningful discussion increases. The benefit of starting from a complete standstill is that every step forward, no matter the direction, is potential progress. We’ll have plenty to debate and ponder throughout the season, assessing that progress and speculating on next steps.
To do this, don’t hesitate to anticipate one of our pre-season questions, come early. What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season? And how do you react when the team loses? Share it in the comments section below!
Thanks for the question! You can send yours to [email protected] and we will do as much as possible!
