NBA: Ranking the top 10 teams heading into the 2019-20 season

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NBA Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard CJ McCollum (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

9. Portland Trail Blazers

What was once a guaranteed first-round playoff elimination team is now a true contender in the Western Conference for a long-lasting postseason. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum led their Portland Trail Blazers to the Western Conference Finals last season without their starting center Jusuf Nurkic.

Now, they’re ready to head back with newly acquired Hassan Whiteside and young stud Nassir Little. Nurkic is expected to make a return at some point this season as well. The Blazers lost two key players in Maurice Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu this summer but the team has confidence in Zach Collins and Rodney Hood to fill those voids. Kent Bazemore should be a solid acquisition for the Blazers too.

This is a team full of sharpshooters and shot creators who can accurately hit shots with heavy content and drive in for an easy layup if they need to. Damian Lillard is one of the best clutch performers in the league and he is always at the ready to step his game up come crunch time. The Blazers are a special team and even with the Northwest Division growing in strength, I still think this team has what it takes to compete.