The Portland Trail Blazers are flying high in the midst of a three-game winning streak. They haven’t separated themselves from the Western Conference pack, but nobody else has either. This is fortuitous. Considering their new personnel, the Blazers were likely to stumble through an adjustment period to start the season. They appear to be weathering it in decent shape as the rest of the league struggles too.
Robert Covington and Derrick Jones, Jr. stand tallest among Portland’s new players, if not in height, then significance. The starting forwards were expected to revolutionize the team’s defense. They haven’t exactly done that; development takes time and Portland’s problems are persistent.