Predicting Every Game of the Blazers' 2026-27 Season

So, Ja Morant will get a second chance to prove that he’s “fine in the West.”

The Blazers’ first 14 games will be against in-conference foes, and if they play their cards correctly and move urgently to start, they could find themselves in a noteworthy position: No. 1 in the Western Conference heading into November.

Remember that 2022-23 Blazers team that went on a one-week warpath and became the league’s second-to-last team to lose? 

Déjà vu could be in play, given that Portland’s first five opponents had a combined record of 167-243 last season. Of that five, only the Lakers would’ve been heavy favorites, but for the time being, it’s unclear as to how fearsome they are without LeBron James in the lineup.

Of all the games in that first week, Oct. 29 figures to be as close to a must-watch as a Blazers-Grizzlies game in 2026 could be. Amidst his fresh start, Morant has said all the right things about his fresh start; but, we’re probably kidding ourselves if we think a player of his competitive caliber won’t have some extra fire for this head-to-head.

Here’s to hoping the Blazers take advantage, because title-contending challenges loom in November. The biggest of them all: a three-games-in-five-nights test against the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. Perhaps the Blazers have at least one upset in them?

Record: 6-5

II: Road Trips, the NBA Cup, and More Drama

As noted, almost no team thrived in that underdog, no-one-believes-in-us role as proficiently as Portland did in 2025-26. Given the six-game, mid-November road trip, one would imagine they’re going to need similar magic if they hope to stay above .500.

This writer thinks they will, but barely. There are just too many unknown factors, in between a new coach, figuring out guard-heavy lineup rotations, and the inevitability of the Blazers dealing with “Blazers things” that few other teams have to. Teams in these situations are often content with breaking even, and Portland probably would be, too.

Here’s how it could shake out:

It’ll likely hinge on Tom Dundon not becoming a distraction, but if Portland’s able to focus on basketball, they could reap the benefits of one of the NBA’s best home court advantages to close out the month.

And, it simply wouldn’t be worth making an 82-game prediction piece without getting a little bit wild. Every year, the NBA Cup seems to have one out-of-the-blue team that sparks its way to a trip to the Knockout Round. Here, we’re predicting that the Blazers are that team, even if they don’t necessarily win the tournament outright.

Updated Record: 14-10

III: To the All-Star Break

By this point, it’s likely that the Trail Blazers are in that all-too-familiar spot: competitive and sometimes impressive, but a noticeable tier below the truly elites out West.

This part of the slate could represent perfect “PR,” should they string together a few wins; from Dec. 12 to Jan. 2 —  give-or-take, there’s nothing on this schedule that feels like a can’t-win. And then, it tops off with a Jan. 4 clash against the NBA’s reigning champions — the ultimate litmus test and statement-sending game at once:

It’s also fun to think about some of the subplots that could follow the Blazers by this point in the season. This writer — imagining that Lillard’s rivalry with Tyrese Haliburton remains largely unfinished — has Dec. 17 circled on the calendar. The same holds true for Dec. 27, where Portland gets another measuring stick game against last season’s No. 1 seed out East.

In this prediction, maybe the Blazers aren’t sizzling-hot, but you can certainly feel the room warming up. As they often do, they’ll probably battle the Knicks valiantly at home before something crazy — probably another Mikal Bridges buzzer-beater — earns Portland a moral victory, but nothing more.

Which brings us through January, where Portland’s probably going to hover around .500 ball. The schedule represents a perfect mixture of upset potential, tough, championship-caliber head-to-heads, and just the inevitability of the Blazers nursing bruises and dings.

It’s a pessimistic thing to predict, but history doesn’t lie. Like a student with perfect attendance, the Blazers were present, as usual, on the “most games missed due to injury” list in 2025-26, just as they were in 2024-25, so forth and so on. 

Which prompts a win-loss result that looks like this:

Updated Record: 27-22

IV: All-Star Break and the Playoff Push

As the schedule hits February, consensus on the Blazers is likely of the generally-positive type. Teams just a shade over .500 typically don’t have more than one All-Star — so Deni Avdija figures to be the only for this small-market team — but Portland should have three or four players that observers could mention without being laughed out of the door.

Feb. 6 figures to be a must-watch too, as Morant makes his return to Memphis. Portland can never get everything it deserves, so perhaps Morant has a 40-point game, but has to wait until Feb. 8’s rematch to get on the win column. 

It’s also fun to project a six-game winning streak, leaving observers to wonder if Portland is working its way into the upper echelon of title contenders.

Which pushes us through March:

From here, one would expect the Blazers to hover around Play-In positioning, alternating important wins with could’ve-beens, to push us through to the final stretch.

Mar. 21 figures to be a turning point. Forced to look into the mirror of another potentially-mediocre finish, the Blazers — then 37-32 — run off a frenetic finish to narrowly avoid the No. 7 seed.

Perhaps, this is when Nori gets lineups perfected, health begins to take shape, chemistry is established, Lillard reaches a form of old, and urgency forces them to turn into one of the Western Conference’s hottest teams. The one caveat is that this was made before Shaedon Sharpe's injury; this probably shaves off at least a few losses.

Final Record: 46-36

V: The Playoffs ... and Everything Else

This projection leaves the Blazers in a Round 1 head-to-head against a familiar foe: the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It’s the ultimate protege vs. prodigy head-to-head at the head coach position, and although the Timberwolves are the better on-paper team, it’s hard to feel fully convinced in what they have. As a case in point: LaMelo Ball is as exciting as it comes in the NBA, but zero postseason games — and spotty Play-In performances to boot — make him a great unknown.

It’s also worth wondering what to make of this frontcourt, given the losses of both Julius Randle and Naz Reid.

For that reason, we’ll predict a six-game Blazers upset. In our crystal ball, Clingan rewrites his story after his struggles in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, and he and Camara —  fresh off All-Defensive Team nods — stifle Anthony Edwards’ group just enough to allow Lillard and Morant to work their magic.

But shortly thereafter, here’s where the luck ends.

Reaching Round 2 essentially guarantees a showdown with either the Thunder or Spurs. And unfortunately, this writer isn’t that crazy. Here’s where the Blazers meet their roadblock:

This series feels as if it would play out a lot like last season’s Spurs-Blazers series: Portland should battle competitively enough that there’s no shame in losing, but they likely won’t be able to take advantage of the opportunities against a hungrier team.

This ultimately sets up a must-watch Thunder-Spurs rematch, all the while solidifying the Blazers as a tier-right-under contender. To some, it likely represents a repeat of what Portland has often been; to others, it would be a legacy-shaping year to remember. 

For now, it’s just this writer’s best guess on how 2026-27 will go for the Blazers.

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