With the No. 3 seed securely in hand, the Trail Blazers tip off their 2018 NBA Playoffs campaign against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. But don’t let their position fool you. Despite ranking among the West’s high seeds, this Portland team must put on a show to prove its mettle.
As Kevin Pelton asserts in ESPN’s playoff primer, winning a series wouldn’t be anything new for the Trail Blazers in the Lillard-McCollum era, and their level of postseason success can both alter and justify Portland’s future.
Per Pelton, center Jusuf Nurkic has the most to prove:
Although Nurkic’s offense hasn’t carried over on a consistent basis this season, his ability to protect the rim has anchored Portland’s defense.