The Portland Trail Blazers schedule eases up a lot in the last quarter of the season. This will give the team a good chance to boost playoff positioning with a good run against a weaker set of opponents. That is, however, based on how they perform in the first three-quarters of the season.
Portland Trail Blazers Schedule: Games 61-82
The First Four Games
This quarter of the season will start with back-to-back road games against the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic.
After that, the team travels home for another Eastern Conference opponent. This time, against the Washington Wizards.
This stretch will close out with a road game against the Phoenix Suns. All of these games appear to be winnable and should give the team momentum going into the home stretch.
Six-Game Homestand
Following those four games, Portland will be at home for a while for a six-game homestand. They open up with a game against the Sacramento Kings, which will be on a back-to-back after that game against the Suns.
After that, the Suns will be in Portland after a two-day break for the Trail Blazers. Another winnable game follows that one against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Following that game, is the toughest game of the homestand against the Houston Rockets on a Sunday afternoon game.
To close out the homestand, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks will be making trips to Portland.
This homestand will be a great chance to pick up wins and build on the momentum that should be gained from the start of this portion of the season.
Portland Trail Blazers Schedule: Six-Game Road Trip
Before the end of the season, Portland will be hitting the road for a six-game trip. The timing of this trip could be tough because it will nearly be the end of the season and this trip will be largely on the East Coast.
The trip opens up with a trip to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves and then they’ll be playing the Charlotte Hornets. Following that, on a back-to-back is a trip to play the Detroit Pistons.
The final three games of this trip are going to be the most difficult. Following that trip to Detroit is a trip to Boston to play the Boston Celtics. After that, it’s a trip to play the Philadelphia 76ers.
To end the trip, they’ll be going to play the Brooklyn Nets in Brooklyn on a back-to-back to end the road trip.
Following the Road Trip
The final six games of the season end with a four-game homestand. That stand is bookended by games against the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets.
Between those two games are games against the Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The final two games of the season are tough. A trip to play the Golden State Warriors and then a home game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Overall, this is probably the easiest quarter of the season the Trail Blazers have. This will be a great chance for them to gain ground in what will likely be a tight playoff race in the Western Conference. Also, expect Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to get hot during this stretch against easier teams, to try and carry the team to a higher playoff seeding.
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