After a 27-55 finish last season and a roster retool this summer, the Portland Trail Blazers are somewhat of an enigma heading into the 2022-23 NBA season. Writers from national outlets like ESPN, NBA.com and The Athletic have chosen to view the uncertainty of Portland with a “glass half-empty” perspective — placing the Blazers in the bottom half of league predictions.
But save hope! Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale offered a rosier outlook for Portland next season on a recent episode of his Hardwood Knocks podcast. Favale said the Blazers are “probably better than people think” and could finish as high as fifth-best in the Western Conference.