NBA: 8 big questions remaining heading into the push for the playoffs

Will the Portland Trail Blazers recover to make the playoffs?

Even though Damian Lillard was on somewhat of an unprecedented scoring hot streak just before the NBA All-Star break, the Portland Trail Blazers have massively been a disappointment this season.

The Blazers are six games under .500 and four games back of the Grizzlies for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With 26 games left in the regular season, the clock is ticking for Portland. If this team is going to make a real run to the postseason, it has to start right out of the break.

The good news is that it appears Portland was beginning to play a bit better in the last few weeks.

Then the (groin) injury to Lillard happens, just before the NBA All-Star break. In the words of head coach Terry Stotts, with these types of injuries, you never know. It could be a week. It could be a month.