The Portland Trail Blazers are going to finish outside of the 2023 NBA Playoffs despite a career season from franchise superstar Damian Lillard. This is a particularly frustrating development for the team, as they surrounded Lillard with a mix of veteran talent and high-scoring youth this year in an attempt to rise towards significance in the crowded Western Conference. 12 of the 15 teams in the West have a legitimate spot in the race for the postseason. Portland is not among them.
This has opened up a couple lines of questioning, not just locally, but across the league.