Double K’s 2025 NBA Season Preview: Portland Trailblazers

Published on by Kevin Kendrick

Here’s a comprehensive review of the Portland Trail Blazers heading into the 2025-26 NBA season — what they accomplished in 2024-25, what changed in the offseason, what to watch, and where things might go.

NBA Schedule

  • Trail Blazers @ Magic on Monday, Nov 10, 2025 at 04:00 PM PST
  • Trail Blazers @ Pelicans on Wednesday, Nov 12, 2025 at 05:00 PM PST
  • Trail Blazers @ Rockets on Friday, Nov 14, 2025 at 05:00 PM PST
  • Trail Blazers @ Mavericks on Sunday, Nov 16, 2025 at 04:30 PM PST
  • Suns @ Trail Blazers on Tuesday, Nov 18, 2025 at 08:00 PM PST
  • Bulls @ Trail Blazers on Wednesday, Nov 19, 2025 at 07:00 PM PST
  • Trail Blazers @ Warriors on Friday, Nov 21, 2025 at 07:00 PM PST
  • Trail Blazers @ Thunder on Sunday, Nov 23, 2025 at 04:00 PM PST
  • Trail Blazers @ Bucks on Monday, Nov 24, 2025 at 05:00 PM PST
  • Spurs @ Trail Blazers on Wednesday, Nov 26, 2025 at 07:00 PM PST

1. 2024-25 Recap

  • Portland finished the season with a 36-46 record, placing 12th in the Western Conference and missing the playoffs. (NBA)
  • Notably, they improved in the second half of the season: a strong 23-18 finish over their final 41 games gave hope for momentum. (NBA)
  • Defensively, they were better down the stretch: for example, from the All-Star break onward they posted one of the top defensive ratings in the league. (ESPN.com)
  • Offensively, however, they lagged. Their offense was ranked 22nd in the league. (SI)

Takeaway: The Blazers looked like a young, improving team with promise on the defensive end, but still lacked consistency, depth, and enough offensive firepower to make the leap.

2. Offseason Moves & Team Changes

Key additions and subtractions

  • Veteran guard Jrue Holiday was acquired in a trade, bringing championship experience and strong defensive credentials. (NBA)
  • Franchise icon Damian Lillard returned to Portland via a 3-year, $42 million deal — but will miss the entire 2025-26 season recovering from a torn Achilles. (750 The Game)
  • The roster’s youth remained intact and prominent: guards Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson continue to be focal pieces of the rebuild. (Blazer’s Edge)
  • A change in style: The Blazers are expected to play with higher pace, more full-court pressure defense, and push the ball more given their young, athletic personnel. (Blazer’s Edge)
  • Key concern: They still lack consistent shooting and offensive creation, which could hamper their ability to win close games. (SI)

Expectations set

  • Vegas sportsbooks set their win total for the season at 34.5 wins, which is only marginally above their 36 wins last year — signaling tempered expectations. (BetMGM)
  • Analysts project them to be strong defensively (top-5) but bottom-5 offensively unless the young players improve leaps. (ESPN.com)

3. What to Watch in 2025-26

Development of Young Players

  • Shaedon Sharpe: He averaged 18.5 ppg last season and now has a long-term extension; his jump in efficiency and consistency is critical. (NBA)
  • Scoot Henderson: Entering his third year, the expectation is that he moves from flashes to steady production. (Blazer’s Edge)
  • Deni Avdija: Had a strong closing stretch of 2024-25; if he carries that over, he can be a breakout contributor. (NBA)

Style & Identity

  • Defense is the identity: Pressuring full court, disrupting passing lanes, and converting turnovers into transition offense. (Blazer’s Edge)
  • But offense remains the big question mark: Can they sustain enough offense to complement their defense? (SI)

Depth, Injuries & Sustainability

  • Playing at a high pace and with younger players raises concerns about fatigue and injuries. The bench will need to step up. (Blazer’s Edge)
  • Lillard’s absence means leadership on the court falls even more heavily on the young guards and the coaching staff.

Goals & Benchmarks

  • A “good” season by Portland’s standards would be making the Play-In Tournament in the West (so roughly top 10 in conference). (Blazer’s Edge)
  • They’ll aim to surpass last season’s win total and show clear upward trajectory.

4. Outlook & Prediction

  • Best case scenario: Young core progresses, defense holds strong, and the Blazers finish in the 45-50 win range, earn a Play-In spot.
  • Likely scenario: Defense is good, offense remains inconsistent, so they hover in the 35-40 win range, maybe just miss the Play-In.
  • Worst case: Injuries or stagnation from young players, offense continues to struggle — they decline or remain near the bottom of the playoff-contender zone.

Given the win total set at 34.5 and the uncertainty of the offense, expecting around 35-38 wins seems realistic for 2025-26, with upside if things click.

5. Conclusion

The 2025-26 season for the Portland Trail Blazers isn’t about championship contention; it’s about progress.

  • They’ve built a promising young foundation.
  • They’ve established a defensive identity.
  • The big X-factor is whether the offense (and young players) take the next step.

If the pieces fit and improvement is real, fans could see a return to relevancy and even a Play-In run. If not, the season may still feel like “one step forward, two steps sideways.”

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