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Portland Trail Blazers
Overall: 46
Title track: 80
Ownership: 47
Coaching: 28
Players: 17
Fan relations: 51
Affordability: 69
Stadium experience: 51
Bang for the buck: 45
Change from last year: +25
Portland's first year without LaMarcus Aldridge went better than expected. Led by the dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, the Blazers made the playoffs and even won a game against the Warriors in the conference semifinals (no easy feat!). They also landed in the NBA's top 10 in average attendance for the ninth straight season. The young Blazers are hoping for a fourth straight playoff appearance this season, but this one won't be a surprise.
What's good
Both Lillard and McCollum set career highs in scoring, with the former landing on the All-NBA Second Team and the latter more than tripling his scoring average in his first year as a starter. Add leading rebounder Mason Plumlee and role players Al-Farouq Aminu, Allen Crabbe and Maurice Harkless -- at 26, 24 and 23 years old, respectively -- and you've got a nice core. That explains the 46-spot jump in players (17th overall, Portland's best showing). Coaching also improved 41 spots and is now 28th overall, thanks to the steady hand of Terry Stotts, who's entering his fifth season as Portland's head man. The Blazers have made the playoffs the past three seasons and won 50 games twice, and Stotts earned an extension through 2020.
What's bad
Would we be shocked if the Blazers matched or exceeded their 44-win output from last season? Not at all. Does that mean they are any closer to winning a championship? Also no. Tucked away in the exceedingly competitive Western Conference, Portland doesn't have the firepower to take down the Warriors or Spurs. That explains a title track that sits at No. 80 -- 18 spots better than last year but not high enough to land the Blazers among the league's elite. The reason, in part, is that Portland has not been a free-agent destination throughout its history. While Kevin Durant decided to take his talents to Golden State, for example, Portland landed Evan Turner. That's good but not championship great.
What's new
A 42-spot increase in ownership is a tribute to billionaire Paul Allen, also the owner of the NFL's Seahawks, who green-lighted about $350 million in offseason spending, mostly on the retention of players from last season's roster. Portland gave McCollum a $106 million extension and brought back role players Harkless, Crabbe and Meyers Leonard. Oh, and they also signed versatile wing Turner and upgraded the frontcourt with former Warriors big man Festus Ezeli. There will be no super-team in Portland, but the Blazers seem just fine with that: They'll go about winning a different way, by keeping their guys together.
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