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.