Blazers Playoff Hopes Hit Rock Bottom

The Portland Trail Blazers have been trying to make a push for the playoffs since the trade deadline. They decided to not make any moves, thinking they were best positioned to make a run with the current group they have.

Portland was in 13th of the Western Conference standings at one point. They made a big climb in the standings following that. In fact, they got the deficit down to just two games just a week ago.

While it looked like they had a shot to get into that tenth spot, those hopes might be dashed now. After a loss to the Kings, they are now four games back of the final play-in spot.

Portland has now lost three straight games. Injuries have caught up to them even more than what they did early in the year.

It seems like the dream is dead for them at this point. Now that they are down four games with just eight games left, it looks like they will be in the lottery.

While it was a good effort from the team to make a late push, it may have been better for their long-term success if they had traded some of their assets at the deadline.

Trading those assets would have given them a better chance to compete in the next couple of years. Instead, they will be forced to try to make some moves in the offseason.

The Trail Blazers just weren't able to overcome the numerous injuries that they had to deal with over the course of the year. Losing Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Robert Williams III for significant chunks of time is just something they couldn't overcome.

Portland will likely turn their attention to what they will do in the offseason. Unless they somehow win every game left on their schedule and both the Suns and the Mavericks implode, their run to the play-in is over.

What will Joe Cronin now do with this group? What is the best value they can get for Ayton in a trade? Those are questions that need to be answered.

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