By Nic LaPonte
As many of you may know, our often maligned hometown basketball team, the Trailblazers, are riding a hot winning streak that is on the verge of turning into a winning habit.
Despite their 116-109 double overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 13, the Trailblazers are first in the Western Conference, though only one game ahead of the trailing team, the Denver Nuggets.
The Blazers have generated a tremendous amount of fan excitement, especially at home, where they have a 17-3 record. Stats for the road, however, are slightly less inspiring, with a record of 8-13.
The excitement behind the team's success this year is understandable. The team is well on its way to a very strong showing in the playoffs and beyond, if the team's steady performances continue going well.
This season is not by any means a perfect one, but it is a winning one, and that alone is very exciting for Portland basketball fans. It is definitely exciting for Coach Nate McMillan. McMillan has a history of performing well; he had a successful career with the Seattle Sonics and went on to coach the team into the playoffs repeatedly.
The team's record this season is not only a confirmation of McMillan's abilities; it also does much to wash the taste of the "jail blazers" era and the bankruptcy of the Rose Garden out of the mouths of Portland fans. The Blazers received this moniker after several high-paid and high-profile players became infamous for causing disturbances both on and off the court. To compound these issues, the team's successive losing seasons resulted in horrendous fan turnout, nearly forcing entrepreneur Paul Allen to sell the team.
With a team history of making the playoffs (they made the playoffs every year from 1982 to 2000), it is a very bitter thing to fail to make the cut for the last four seasons. Last season's record, too, a league worst 32-50, is something that can easily cripple a team for years without dynamic leadership, talented players and fan support. What saved the team from being sold away from Portland was the same asset that the Blazers have always relied upon: a strong fan base willing to give them another chance.
The moral of the story is this: Just like in life, the world of sports can have its own turnarounds. Determination, support and luck can make all the difference when, like the Trailblazers, it looks like the deck is stacked against you.
