All hope is not lost

By Katie Jackson

The Portland Trail Blazers were once hot, but now they are not.

Portland was going strong with an amazing record of 20–3 since their sweet victory in the Moda Center on Valentine’s Day, but as of late they are on a four game losing streak including an 11-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs despite Damian Lillard scoring 33 points alone.

With the race to the playoffs coming down to its last stretch, every win counts. It is safe to say the Trail Blazers could not pick a worse time to start losing.

It is not all bad news from here, though. The Trail Blazers can still control their own playoff destiny. A win tonight against the Utah Jazz will give them 49 wins, which will allow them to finish as a three seed and grant them home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

If Portland cannot pull off the win against Utah, their only hope at a home court advantage lies on the result of the Spurs and the Pelicans game. If the Pelicans can beat the Spurs then the Trail Blazers will still be granted home court advantage, but if the Spurs win then the Trail Blazers will start the playoffs on the road.

Portland needs to win tonight because putting fate in the hands of another team is always risky. Sealing the home-court advantage tonight is a step in the right direction if the Trail Blazers wish to go deep in the playoffs. When on the road, Portland can barely break even at 21–20, but when Portland is in the comfort of the Moda Center in front of all 19,393 fans they are a force to be reckoned with.