The Portland Trail Blazers Odds – Heading into the 2010 Season

The 2009-10 season wasn’t a particularly memorable year for the Portland Trail Blazers. While their record was quite respectable, it was the disappointments that really left negative marks on the Trail Blazers’ psyche. The team now has to make serious decisions in order to make themselves competitive enough to at least reach the playoffs without incident. Weeks before the regular season opening, the Portland Trail Blazers will go face to face against the LA clippers on October 5 and Utah Jazz on October 11 for the preseason games.  The preseason lineup also includes games against the Golden State Warriors on October 16 and the Denver Nuggets on October 21. How the Trail Blazers will fare in the preseason games will give fans some hope and sports bettors some clues if they’ll be able to beat the Phoenix Suns for the season opener on October 26. Average odds to win for exemplary performance Bodog Sportsbook rates the Trail Blazers’ odds of winning the 2011 NBA Championship at +3300. That seems like reasonable odds for a team that is still recovering from widespread injuries. For Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, and Denver Nuggets, which will be facing the Trail Blazers on the preseason games, their odds of winning the 2011 NBA championships are +15000, +4000, and +2500, respectively. The Phoenix Suns got a +5000 odds of winning, while the defending champion, Los Angeles Lakers, has +300 odds to win the 2011 NBA championships, based on Bodog’s list. A hurting team The team made some significant changes in their lineup back in the 2009 offseason. They followed this with more changes in the current offseason. The main highlight of the offseason was the assignment of Rich Cho as the Trail Blazers’ new general manager. This move was complemented by the acquisition of Wesley Matthews and Armon Johnson during the year, players who should expand the speed and flexibility of the team’s lineup. A question of consistently worse health The list of players nursing various injuries was quite extensive during the 2009-10 season. This made the team’s range extremely limited, losing to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. The result was disappointing for the team when you consider their respectable record during the regular season. The injuries extended through all levels of the organization, from reserve players Nicolas Batum and Rudy Fernandez, to head coach Nate McMillan. The team made several in-season acquisitions during that year to fill in the gaps in the lineup. Players like Marcus Camby was immediately signed to compensate for the loss of centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla due to knee injuries. The adjustments kept the team competitive, but it wasn’t enough until the Trail Blazers eventually broke down in the playoffs. Long road ahead The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to improve on last season’s results. The injuries continue to hobble them somewhat, but they are prepared to take it to the next level, albeit with fewer players. The center position is currently owned by Marcus Camby. It will be a lonely road for him, having no real backup in case he falters. The team also has a moderately long list of new players with serious potential: Wesley Matthews, Luke Babbitt, and others. If there is a good time for these players to start ramping up their games, it’s during this upcoming season. One thing missing though is a senior player who will serve as guidepost for the younger players in the team. These new players need all the mentoring they can get.