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Portland Trail Blazers

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Template:NBA team The Portland Trail Blazers are a professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They are the only major league franchise in the state of Oregon.


History

Main article: History of the Portland Trail Blazers
File:Blazers original.gif
Trail Blazers logo from 1971-1990.
File:Blazers 2.gif
TrailBlazers logo from 1991-2002
File:25thanniversarylogo.jpg
Trailblazers 25th anniversary logo from 1995
File:Blazers 3.gif
Trail Blazers logo for 2002-03 season
File:Portland Trail Blazers logo.png
TrailBlazers logo for 2003-04 season. This is the last logo to date referencing the team as the "Blazers".

The Trail Blazers entered the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team; and have played in Portland for the entire time. In 1977 they won their only NBA Championship. The team had been a regular fixture in the NBA Playoffs until as recently as 2003. The team was sold to Paul Allen in 1988; in 1990 and 1992 the Blazers advanced to the NBA Finals but were defeated both times; first by the Detroit Pistons and then by the Chicago Bulls.

In 1996, general manager Bob Whitsitt began rebuilding the team using players who were talented, but who had questionable attitudes [1]and/or criminal records. This worked initially, as the team reached the Western Conference Finals in 1999 and 2000, but the strategy soon backfired on the Blazers as the local community soured [2]on a team better known for its off-court antics than for its on-court abilities. The team began to be known as the "Jail Blazers". [3] After a series of off-court incidents and playoff failures, as well as declining ticket sales, [4]Whitsitt was fired after the 2003 season.

The current management and team players have been re-connecting with the community at large. All of the players associated with the "Jail Blazers" years are gone, and a new crop of young players show promise. However, the Blazers failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2003-04 and 2004-05, posting records of 41-41 and 27-55. In the 2005-06 season, the team posted a league-worst record of 21-61.

The Current Team

The Blazers finished the 2005-06 season with a 21-61 record, worst in the NBA. Despite that, they did not fare well in the NBA Draft Lottery, drawing the #4 pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. Regardless, they still acquired four first round draft picks, including Brandon Roy and Lamarcus Aldridge.

The ownership status of the team is currently unresolved. Paul Allen remains the owner of the team, and Portland Arena Management, a corporate entity representing the interests of bondholders who were the primary creditors of the former Oregon Arena Corporation, is the owner of the Rose Garden Arena. The current lease agreement between the team and the arena (negotiated as part of the initial borrowing agreement, in order to protect the bondholders' interests should a bankruptcy occur) is highly detrimental to the team. It has been widely reported that Allen wishes to sell the team (and that PAM is willing to sell the Rose Garden), however, a buyer with the resources to purchase the team and arena has not been identified. NBA Commissioner David Stern stated, "my goal on behalf of the league would be to keep the team in Portland, playing in the Rose Garden, with economic prospects that make some financial sense." It is highly unlikely the Blazers could move due to the fact that they are contractually obligated to play in the Rose Garden until 2023.[5] The team, and the arena management, formally announced that the team and arena were jointly up for sale on June 7 2006[6][7] On August 3, it was announced by Portland Arena Management that Allen had withdrawn the team from the market, instead intending to continue to own it himself.[8]

On May 30, 2006, the team announced that general manager John Nash would not be given a new contract; team president Steve Patterson became interim GM. Patterson served as both president and GM until unexpectedly resigning from both roles on March 1, 2007. Seattle Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke became the new interim president and GM.[9]

2006 NBA Draft

The Blazers were by far the busiest team on the day of the 2006 NBA Draft, making numerous trades and landing four first-round picks. On draft day, the Blazers:

Other transactions during the 2006 offseason

Season-by-season records

Note: W = wins, L = losses, % = win–loss %

Season W L % Playoffs Results
Portland Trail Blazers
1970-71 29 53 .354
1971-72 18 64 .220
1972-73 21 61 .256
1973-74 27 55 .329
1974-75 38 44 .463
1975-76 37 45 .451
1976-77 49 33 .598 Won First Round
Won Conference Semifinals
Won Conference Finals
Won NBA Finals		 Portland 2, Chicago 1
Portland 4, Denver 2
Portland 4, Los Angeles 0
Portland 4, Philadelphia 2
1977-78 58 24 .707 Lost Conference Semifinals Seattle 4, Portland 2
1978-79 45 37 .549 Lost First Round Phoenix 2, Portland 1
1979-80 38 44 .463 Lost First Round Seattle 2, Portland 1
1980-81 45 37 .549 Lost First Round Kansas City 2, Portland 1
1981-82 42 40 .512
1982-83 46 36 .561 Won First Round
Lost Conference Semifinals		 Portland 2, Seattle 0
Los Angeles 4, Portland 1
1983-84 48 38 .585 Lost First Round Phoenix 3, Portland 2
1984-85 42 40 .512 Won First Round
Lost Conference Semifinals		 Portland 3, Dallas 1
Los Angeles 4, Portland 1
1985-86 40 42 .489 Lost First Round Denver 3, Portland 1
1986-87 49 33 .598 Lost First Round Houston 3, Portland 1
1987-88 53 29 .646 Lost First Round Utah 3, Portland 1
1988-89 39 43 .476 Lost First Round Los Angeles 3, Portland 0
1989-90 59 23 .720 Won First Round
Won Conference Semifinals
Won Conference Finals
Lost NBA Finals		 Portland 3, Dallas 0
Portland 4, San Antonio 3
Portland 4, Phoenix 2
Detroit 4, Portland 1
1990-91 63 19 .768 Won First Round
Won Conference Semifinals
Lost Conference Finals		 Portland 3, Seattle 2
Portland 4, Utah 1
Los Angeles 4, Portland 2
1991-92 57 25 .695 Won First Round
Won Conference Semifinals
Won Conference Finals
Lost NBA Finals		 Portland 3, Los Angeles 1
Portland 4, Phoenix 1
Portland 4, Utah 2
Chicago 4, Portland 2
1992-93 51 31 .622 Lost First Round San Antonio 3, Portland 1
1993-94 47 35 .573 Lost First Round Houston 3, Portland 1
1994-95 44 38 .537 Lost First Round Phoenix 3, Portland 0
1995-96 44 38 .537 Lost First Round Utah 3, Portland 2
1996-97 49 33 .598 Lost First Round Los Angeles 3, Portland 1
1997-98 46 36 .561 Lost First Round Los Angeles 3, Portland 1
1998-99 35 15 .700 Won First Round
Won Conference Semifinals
Lost Conference Finals		 Portland 3, Phoenix 0
Portland 4, Utah 2
San Antonio 4, Portland 0
1999-2000 59 23 .720 Won First Round
Won Conference Semifinals
Lost Conference Finals		 Portland 3, Minnesota 1
Portland 4, Utah 1
Los Angeles 4, Portland 3
2000-01 50 32 .610 Lost First Round Los Angeles 3, Portland 0
2001-02 49 33 .598 Lost First Round Los Angeles 3, Portland 0
2002-03 50 32 .610 Lost First Round Dallas 4, Portland 3
2003-04 41 41 .500
2004-05 27 55 .329
2005-06 21 61 .256
2006-07* 29 42 .408
Totals 1585 1410 .529
Playoffs 91 103 .469 1 Championship

* Season in progress; updated 28 March 2007.

Players of note

Basketball Hall of Famers

Retired numbers

In addition, Drexler, Lucas, Petrie, Twardzik, Walton, Danny Ainge (Number 9, G, 1990-92, also Oregon native) and Jim Paxson (Number 4, G, 1980-87) are members of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.

Other notable players

Current roster

Coaches and others

Current Coaching Staff

The head coach of the Trail Blazers is Nate McMillan. Assistant Coaches include Dean Demopoulos (Lead Assistant Coach), Bill Bayno, Maurice Lucas, and Monty Williams. The training and conditining staff includes Geoff Clark (Assistant Athletic Trainer/Equipment Manager), Jay Jensen (Head Athletic Trainer), Bob Medina, (Strength & Conditioning Coach), and Bradley Weinrich (Director of Basketball Operations)

The complete list of Trail Blazers' head coaches, and the time of their tenures, is as follows:

Current Team Management

Current and former media personalities

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ [2]
  3. ^ [3]
  4. ^ [4]
  5. ^ [5]
  6. ^ [6]
  7. ^ [7]
  8. ^ [8]
  9. ^ Anne M. Peterson (2007-03-01). "Trail Blazers' GM Patterson resigns". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
  10. ^ [9]
  11. ^ [10]
  12. ^ [11]
Fan sites
Preceded by NBA Champions
Portland Trail Blazers
1977 		Succeeded by
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