Around this time a year ago, I wrote a Portland Trail Blazers-centric piece entitled, “June Isn’t For Everyone.” The premise was simple: the Blazers wouldn’t always be gifted the luxury of All-Star votes in February, championship runs spanning to June, supermax slots in July, or ring ceremonies in October.
Maybe they couldn’t always hang with the Western Conference heavyweights in the tussle for championships, but they always had a puncher’s chance in the battle for our memories — a fight for a spot for a chance to be discussed among the likes of the big-market juggernauts.