As of this writing, the Portland Trail Blazers have lost their last four games and play the streaking Utah Jazz tonight in their final game of the NBA regular season. A win will clinch the #3 seed for the Blazers, and a loss might put them as low as #5 and send them on the road for their first two games of the playoffs. Regardless of what happens, the Blazers will likely have their hands full in the first round, with all of two games currently separating the Jazz at #3 and the Minnesota Timberwolves at #8. There are no obvious mismatches in the Western Conference, with the exception of whomever draws the #1 Houston Rockets. Even the #2 Golden State Warriors are no sure thing to escape the first round. The Jazz just walloped them by 40 points, and it was no outlier. For fans of the blue and gold, it is officially time to worry.
For Blazer fans who might want to brush up on Rip City as we head to the playoffs, these reading choices will be helpful on all things Dame Lillard and CJ McCollum:
http://www.slamonline.com/nba/cj-mccollum-interview-cover-story/
An interesting take on Jusuf Nurkic and the price he pays for protecting the paint:
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-nba-cant-stop-hitting-jusuf-nurkic-in-the-face/
For those who might be coming to Portland for the playoffs and need a place to eat, this pod of Portland chef Andy Ricker features his Pok Pok Thai restaurants
https://www.theringer.com/2018/3/21/17147778/thai-food-with-pok-pok-founder-andy-ricker
And this House Of Carbs pod ranks all 16 NBA playoff cities for food offerings. Portland made #6, mostly for its coffee scene and innovative choices.
https://www.theringer.com/2018/4/11/17223086/bill-simmons-best-nba-finals-food-cities
And now, we wait for tonight.
