NBA: Mid-season playoff seeding predictions for the East and West

8. Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers were one of the best stories in the league through the first month of the season. However, the team is just 3-7 in their last 10 games. They’ve lost valuable ground in the Western Conference standings and are beginning to look like a team that may not even make the playoffs.

As expected, the Blazers still have some work to do with this roster. They have a solid trio in Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, and Jerami Grant. That said, it’s not fair to expect that trio to compete with the other top-heavy teams in the West.

My heart tells me that the Blazers will be a playoff team this season but my head tells me that this team is one injury away from falling out of the playoff picture entirely. I still think, at least for now, that they sneak into the top 8.