Trail Blazers' Early Success Has Them Among NBA's Best Teams

The Portland Trail Blazers are quickly becoming one of the more surprising teams in the NBA, and their latest power ranking is another indication that the league is starting to take notice. Even outside of a ranking, they’re 6-1 and hold the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. 

In The Athletic's most recent NBA power rankings, Portland landed at No. 7, a significant accomplishment for a team that entered the season with plenty of questions surrounding its direction and expectations. While there is still a long way to go, the Blazers have put together an impressive start and are beginning to look like a team capable of making some noise in the Western Conference.

One of the biggest reasons for Portland's early success has been the work of new Head Coach Micah Nori. Nori has helped establish an identity that has translated into wins. More importantly, he has gotten a talented but crowded backcourt to put individual roles aside for the benefit of the team.

The Athletic's Law Murray highlighted that development while explaining Portland's rise in the rankings, "But Micah Nori got his four guards to buy in and believe. Now, Nori has three guards left (out of five, as Shaedon Sharpe still has months of recovery from knee surgery), and they’ll be asked to do more in November. The Blazers’ wins were impressive in their diversity, beating the Lakers in a shootout while shutting down the Jazz, both on the road."

That last point is particularly encouraging for Portland. The Blazers haven't needed to win games one particular way. They have shown they can keep pace in high-scoring matchups while also using their defense to dictate the terms of a game. That kind of versatility is important for a team hoping to remain competitive throughout an 82-game season.

However, Murray also pointed out the challenge ahead. Portland is dealing with a thinner backcourt, with Shaedon Sharpe expected to miss several months following knee surgery and Ja Morant missing time with a hamstring strain. That puts additional responsibility on the remaining guards to maintain the chemistry and production that helped the team get off to such a strong start.

There is still plenty to prove, and a No. 7 ranking in November doesn't guarantee anything when the postseason picture eventually takes shape. But Portland has already accomplished something important by showing that its early success isn't simply the product of a favorable matchup or a few lucky breaks.

The Blazers are playing connected basketball, getting contributions from multiple players and finding different ways to win. If Nori can keep that group believing while navigating the injury situation, Portland could be in for a much more interesting season than anyone anticipated.