Blazers eyes 3-0 road trip amid turnaround

Portland looks to extend its 48-19 all-time series lead against Charlotte.

Are the Trail Blazers showing glimpses of what they can be in the future? The team’s overall record can make it easy to miss their recent high level of play.

A three-game winning streak isn’t enough to decide anything, but some signs are encouraging. The last two wins have come on the road, and the Trail Blazers have a chance to perfect their current road swing if they secure the victory over the Hornets on Friday. A win over Charlotte would give the Blazers their longest winning streak of the season and could inject some much needed confidence into this young roster that is finding its footing.

Speaking of youth, some of the long-term core pieces have played very well for the Blazers during the ongoing streak. Anfernee Simons deserves a mention as he has recorded 21 and 24 points in road wins over the Magic and Heat. Simons’ production has been erratic at times, but his offensive ability is beyond doubt. He’s one of the more proven scoring weapons on the roster, and when he’s at his best, it opens doors for this Portland offense.

A player who deserves more attention is Deni Avdija. The five-year veteran, who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Washington Wizards, had an adjustment period with his new team early on, but he’s turned things around lately. He has averaged 16.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. match in nine contests since the beginning of January. If he were to post those numbers over the course of a full season, they would result in career-high marks in each of the four categories. In addition, it is easy to forget that Avdija is only 24 years old. He makes a case to be one of the long-term core pieces on this roster.

Scoot Henderson, the first round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has shown improvement in his second season in the league. Henderson has averaged 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game since the start of January. If Henderson is able to maintain these numbers long term, it will be another building block for this team going forward.

A three-game winning streak might not move the needle much in the standings. However, progress is progress, and this year is about building for the future while competing in the present for the Blazers. Closing out a clean slate on an East Coast road trip would be another step in the right direction for this young team.