ESPN's Future Power Rankings

[Nate4Prez]

The Future Power Rankings are ESPN Insider's projection of the on-the-court success expected for each team in the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

1. Heat
2. Lakers
3. Thunder
4. Bulls (huh?)
5. Rockets (wtf?)
6. Blazers
Portland's management dropped from No. 4 to No. 10 in this survey based almost entirely on its ham-handed handling of general manager Kevin Pritchard's dismissal. We might never know the real story that led to his ouster, but we do know that one of the league's best talent evaluators was bizarrely shown the door on the day of the draft, and the team allowed itself to limp through a crucial free-agency period with nobody at the tiller. The Blazers righted themselves with the hiring of Rich Cho, but the shadowy "Vulcans" working under Paul Allen in Seattle remain a concern.

The other concern for the Blazers is that three key starters -- Brandon Roy, Greg Oden and Nicolas Batum -- all had serious injuries last season. That trio plus LaMarcus Aldridge is the core of what should be a perennial Western Conference contender. But there are enough question marks in Portland that despite the Blazers' highly rated personnel department, several clubs outrank them.

(Previous rank: 5)

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

Like I try to say. I'd rather be flying under everyone's radar with the 300 games lost to injury and nobody realizing what that really means on the W/L record until you face us healthy and with some serious games of chemistry under our belts.

Let the Thunder (who we can't forget had the perfect season last year with their players nearly maximizing their upside/stats and had no injuries) be the team circled on everyone's radar this year and get "upset" game after game after game and be the "big shock" to be fighting for their lives for the playoffs, while Portland shows what a healthy Oden and defensive monsters in Matthews and Camby on the 2nd team can do to the overall W/L record. Joke will be on them.

 

[Rhal]

I'm surprised were still up there that high. As much as everyone totes it we won 50+ games with an insane amount of injuries but we failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs again so I assumed that they would consider our team a highly injured team that can do it if we stay healthy but the chances of that are slim. Still hate that the thunder are above us in the rankings... Lets see how everything plays out if we have perfect health from BRoy/GO/NB and the thunder miss 311 games.

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

I'm surprised were still up there that high. As much as everyone totes it we won 50+ games with an insane amount of injuries but we failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs again so I assumed that they would consider our team a highly injured team that can do it if we stay healthy but the chances of that are slim. Still hate that the thunder are above us in the rankings... Lets see how everything plays out if we have perfect health from BRoy/GO/NB and the thunder miss 311 games.

Might just be my memory. But I thought we didn't get out of the first round because Roy got injured right before the playoffs. Maybe I'm wrong. But then what would it matter if Roy got injured to the Blazers getting out of the first round. Probably about the same as if Kobe got injured for the first round for LA, or if Dwight Howard got injured for the first round of Orlando. Or if KG got injured for Boston (hey, I think that might actually have happened once, I'd be curious how the the dominant Eastern Conf champion did that year that KG was injured, I'll have to look that up some time).

 

[Rhal]

Might just be my memory. But I thought we didn't get out of the first round because Roy got injured right before the playoffs. Maybe I'm wrong. But then what would it matter if Roy got injured to the Blazers getting out of the first round. Probably about the same as if Kobe got injured for the first round for LA, or if Dwight Howard got injured for the first round of Orlando. Or if KG got injured for Boston (hey, I think that might actually have happened once, I'd be curious how the the dominant Eastern Conf champion did that year that KG was injured, I'll have to look that up some time).

You don't have to try and sell me on why we didn't get of the first round this year, I know why but what i'm saying is a lot of people aren't going to take a look at the playoffs this year and think. Why didn't the blazer get out of the first round? They'll just sweep it under and say it was because we didn't have enough experience or something like that without giving it a second thought.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Might just be my memory. But I thought we didn't get out of the first round because Roy got injured right before the playoffs. Maybe I'm wrong. But then what would it matter if Roy got injured to the Blazers getting out of the first round. Probably about the same as if Kobe got injured for the first round for LA, or if Dwight Howard got injured for the first round of Orlando. Or if KG got injured for Boston (hey, I think that might actually have happened once, I'd be curious how the the dominant Eastern Conf champion did that year that KG was injured, I'll have to look that up some time).

Roy was healthy the year before, and the results were the same. One consistent factor both years? Nate getting out-coached.

 

[huevonkiller]

Roy was healthy the year before, and the results were the same. One consistent factor both years? Nate getting out-coached.

The Houston Rockets in 2009 were a solid team, and healthy too. They took LA to seven games it is nothing to feel horrible about.

Roy was great in that series too. He was at or better than Wade's level in the first round.

 

[Draco]

Well the article says we would be rated higher if it wasn't for injury concerns. Roy's injuries are a greater concern to me than Odens and Greg has missed 2/3 of the team’s games, so I think dropping us to 6th (out of 30!) rank in future power is very understandable.

 

[hasoos]

Power Rankings are useless. You are either the team that gets it done, or you are one of the rest.

 

[huevonkiller]

Well the article says we would be rated higher if it wasn't for injury concerns. Roy's injuries are a greater concern to me than Odens and Greg has missed 2/3 of the team’s games, so I think dropping us to 6th (out of 30!) rank in future power is very understandable.

Oh yeah I understand, Roy has to be feeling well for the Blazers to have a chance.

 

[Masbee]

Like I try to say. I'd rather be flying under everyone's radar with the 300 games lost to injury and nobody realizing what that really means on the W/L record until you face us healthy and with some serious games of chemistry under our belts.

Let the Thunder (who we can't forget had the perfect season last year with their players nearly maximizing their upside/stats and had no injuries) be the team circled on everyone's radar this year and get "upset" game after game after game and be the "big shock" to be fighting for their lives for the playoffs, while Portland shows what a healthy Oden and defensive monsters in Matthews and Camby on the 2nd team can do to the overall W/L record. Joke will be on them.

Batum & Matthews up in your grill - PLUS
Oden and Camby defending the rim - EQUALS

Kobe Stopper - FTW!