The Portland Trail Blazers are off to a 5-1 start and sit atop the Western Conference standings.
Portland’s success has caught the attention of the national media, receiving the No. 9 slot from The Athletic’s Zach Harper on this week’s list. While the ranking may not reflect the team’s current placement atop the Western Conference, it does represent yet another significant leap in the national media’s week-to-week assessment.
Portland Trail Blazers (previously 17th) | 5-1 | +4.6 net rating
Weekly slate: Win over Nuggets, Loss to Heat, Win over Rockets
Cause for optimism: What a tremendous start to the regular season for the Portland Trail Blazers as they’ve tried to wash themselves free of the stink of last season’s tank job.