3-on-3 Blazers

On this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley gauge their worry level about Dame's supermax extension, the Blazers' draft position, the surging New Orleans Pelicans, Jusuf Nurkic's injury history, the Dame-Ant vs. Dame-CJ question, the recent play of Anfernee Simons and Josh Hart and the new guys, well, mainly Keon Johnson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Portland Trail Blazers have won four in a row since trading away CJ McCollum and two other starters prior to the NBA trade deadline. The expectation was that the Blazers were positioning themselves to lose as many games as possible to increase their chance of a Top 4 pick in this summer's NBA draft. But the strong play of Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic and newcomers Josh Hart and Justise Winslow is turning that plan on its head. The Blazers are suddenly winning again while playing an up-tempo, exciting brand of basketball. The Blazers now have a week off as the NBA heads into its All-Star break. Portland's remaining schedule is road-heavy (14 of its remaining 23 games are away from the Moda Center) but it's not full of winning teams. The Blazers' remaining strength of schedule ranks 29th out of 30 teams, according to tankathon.com, which means it may not be as easy for the Blazers to tank (lose games in hopes of increasing their chances of a high lottery draft pick) as many fans would hope. The Blazers' recent stretch of good play and how that impacts the upcoming offseason is the main topic of this week's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast with KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Portland Trail Blazers interim general manager Joe Cronin has a plan to build a winning roster around Damian Lillard. Step 1 of that plan was to trade away CJ McCollum and other high-priced veterans on the team like Norman Powell, Robert Covington and Larry Nance Jr. Now the Blazers have a ton of cap space, some interesting draft picks and a plan to try to recruit high-end talent to join Lillard this summer. Can Cronin execute the next step of his plan? KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley discuss this and more on this episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday after the NBA trade deadline passed, Blazers interim general manager Joe Cronin, joined by head coach Chauncey Billups and president of business operations Dewayne Hankins, spoke to the media about the trades the Blazers made the past week and what's next for the team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blazers traded Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers and they're getting Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a second-round pick. KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley do a quick breakdown of the trade and what it means for the Blazers moving forward as the Feb. 10 trade deadline draws near. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 10 and the Portland Trail Blazers have been mentioned in plenty of trade rumors. KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley got together on Thursday to talk about the Blazers and what to expect at this year's trade deadline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Portland Trail Blazers interim general manager Joe Cronin made a positive impression on the team's fanbase during a conversation (don't call it a press conference) with media on Thursday. He gave off a warm, positive vibe, answered questions with confidence and provided the impression he'll be given the autonomy to make major moves with the team's roster. This week was also full of drama surrounding Blazers superstar guard Damian Lillard and national media, first with a report from The Athletic's Shams Charania and Sam Amick and then with an article by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that many suspected used former Blazers general manager Neil Olshey as a main source. Lillard was critical of both pieces and then spoke out during shootaround this week, saying he wanted to stay in Portland and wasn't demanding a trade. On this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley share their first impressions of Cronin, discuss the articles that were written about Lillard and the Blazers this week and whether Lillard's reaction to them was justified, and assess the current state of the Blazers on the court. Meet the 3-on-3 Blazers team Orlando Sanchez is the sports anchor and report for KGW News, Sports Sunday and Friday Night Flights. Orlando has covered multiple NBA Finals, NCAA basketball tournaments and World Series. Jared Cowley is the digital executive producer for KGW News. He writes about the Blazers and other topics for kgw.com. Jared has written about the Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors as a sports editor at two daily newspaper.

KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez and digital executive producer Jared Cowley talk about Neil Olshey, Larry Nance Jr. and potential lineup changes in this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast. 3:15 — Neil Olshey 41:37 — Impact of Larry Nance Jr. 48:03 — Nurk vs. Nance 54:40 — Nas vs. RoCo 1:01:03 — Home vs. road

The Trail Blazers are coming off an 0-3 road trip and Damian Lillard's season-opening slump has reached 8 games. Are the Blazers a bad team or is their poor play mostly a product of Lillard's lack of production? KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley discuss Lillard's slump, the Blazers' road woes, the new four-guard lineup, and then make predictions for the next four games.

KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley discuss their impression of the Blazers after the first four games of the season. How does the defense look? Who has impressed so far (hello, CJ McCollum and Anfernee Simons!). Should we be worried about Damian Lillard's slump? They also look ahead to the next four games against the Clippers, Hornets, 76ers and Cavaliers and make a few predictions.

It's that time of year again! The Portland Trail Blazers play their first regular season game in less than a week, so KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley got together to make a bunch of predictions for KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers annual season preview. They predict the Blazers win total, Portland's playoff seed, which players will exceed expectations and which ones will fall short of expectations. They also make NBA picks for order of finish in the Western Conference, NBA champion, MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year.

KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley discuss the report by Shams Charania of The Athletic about trade discussions between the Blazers and 76ers, centered around Ben Simmons, presumably CJ McCollum and a whole heap of Blazers draft picks. Then they discuss the challenge for Blazers fans trying to find Blazers games on ROOT Sports if they don't have cable or DirecTV. And finally, they play "Buy or Sell?" for the big training camp storylines for the Blazers: Anfernee Simons the point guard, Nassir Little ready to break out, Jusuf Nurkic's happiness and a new defensive scheme.

On this week's episode, KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley talk about a potential trade that would bring Ben Simmons to Portland. They also discuss the Larry Nance Jr. trade and LaMarcus Aldridge's return to the NBA. SUBSCRIBE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201

The Blazers bring back Norman Powell on a five-year, $90 million deal and sign Cody Zeller, Ben McLemore and Tony Snell to shore up the bench, while saying goodbye to Carmelo Anthony, Enes Kanter and Zach Collins. Now, all of Blazers nation waits to see if Neil Olshey will make a big move to improve the team in a way that appeals to Damian Lillard. Plus, the 76ers hire someone really, really close to Dame. What's the concern level for the Blazers with a move like that?

After another first-round exit, Damian Lillard is questioning his future with the Portland Trail Blazers. He wants a championship roster built around him this offseason. How likely is Lillard to leave if the roster can't be improved to that level? Would it be in the Blazers' best interest to trade Lillard now? What kind of moves can Neil Olshey make this offseason, in the draft, during free agency and with trades? Is Olshey capable of making the big move or moves needed to keep Lillard happy? We talk about all this and more on the latest episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast with KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez, senior digital producer Jared Cowley and special guest Nate Hanson, in his triumphant return to the podcast! We also say goodbye to good friend, co-host and Rip It! creator Max Barr, who is pursuing an exciting new career.

On this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez and digital producers Jared Cowley and Max Barr talk about the hiring of Chauncey Billups as the Blazers' new head coach. The hire angered a portion of the Blazers' fan base because of allegations of sexual assault in Billups' past. In 1997, Billups was accused of rape. He denies the accusation, wasn't charged and the case was settled out of court in 2000. Orlando, Jared and Max also talk about the controversial way the Blazers conducted this week's press conference introducing Billups as the team's new head coach. Next, they discuss reports that Damian Lillard is considering leaving Portland because of frustration over the backlash over the hiring process and concerns over whether a championship contender can be built in Portland. Finally, they talk about another setback for Blazers big man Zach Collins.

It's only been a week since the Portland Trail Blazers' season ended with another first-round exit. In a very busy seven days since, Terry Stotts was fired, the Blazers started their search for a new coach, Neil Olshey went a couple rounds with the media and questions arose about the future of CJ McCollum and the rest of the roster in Rip City. Orlando, Jared and Max break it all down, looking back on a very strange 2020-21 season and ahead to what promises to be an interesting offseason in Portland. Plus, it's the final chapter of this season's Playoff Rip It! Who will be crowned champion? Hosts: KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez, KGW digital producers Jared Cowley and Max Barr Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201

Damian Lillard scored a franchise playoff record 55 points, hit an NBA record 12 3-pointers and the Portland Trail Blazers still lost Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets. Now they head back to Portland for a must-win Game 6 on Thursday. Orlando, Jared and Max discuss Dame's transcendent performance, debate whether Dame's teammates let him down and ask the question: Can Portland bounce back? After that, it's Week 2 of Playoff Rip It! Hosts: KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez, KGW digital producers Jared Cowley and Max Barr Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201  

The Nuggets bounced back in Game 2, beating the Blazers by 19 to even the series. Orlando, Jared and Max talk about their biggest concerns after Game 2. next, they discuss adjustments the Blazers need to make to win Game 3 back in Portland. And finally, Orlando and Jared face off in Week 1 of Playoff Rip It! Hosts: KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez, KGW digital producers Jared Cowley and Max Barr Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201

The Portland Trail Blazers struck first, beating the Denver Nuggets 123-109 to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-7 first-round series. Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic led the way for the Blazers on offense and defense. KGW’s Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley break down everything that went right for the Blazers in Game 1 and look ahead to Game 2. Hosts: KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez, KGW digital producers Jared Cowley and Max Barr

How do the Blazers and Nuggets match up? What are the keys to a Blazers victory in this series? How many games will the series go? And which team will win? Orlando, Jared and Max go deep on the first-round series between Portland and Denver. And then they wrap up regular-season Rip It! and welcome back Playoff Rip-It! Hosts: KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez, KGW digital producers Jared Cowley and Max Barr

Orlando, Jared and Max first talk about Thursday’s heartbreaking loss to the Phoenix Suns (1:18). Then they discuss the keys to a Blazers win in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Denver Nuggets (13:20). Next they make predictions for the three-team race between the Blazers, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers. Which team will finish fifth, sixth and seventh? (26:39). Finally, they play another outstanding game of Rip It! (32:40) Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 Hosts: Orlando Sanchez, Jared Cowley, Max Barr

Orlando, Jared and Max first talk about the Blazers’ impressive play on their 5-1 road trip (1:15). Then they discuss the Blazers welcoming fans back into the Moda Center for the first time in more than a year (5:43). Next they talk about the report from The Athletic about head coach Terry Stotts’ job security (19:58). After that, they break down the playoff race between the Blazers, Mavericks and Lakers (34:23). Finally, they play another rip-roaring game of Rip It! (44:45)! Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 Hosts: Orlando Sanchez, Jared Cowley, Max Barr

Orlando, Jared and Max first talk about what has changed for the Blazers in their past two blowout victories (1:40). Then they talk about the development of Anfernee Simons (16:58). Next they talk about the chase for the sixth seed and look ahead to the week of games for the Blazers and Dallas Mavericks (28:28). Finally, they play another exciting game of Rip It! (38:01)! Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 Hosts: Orlando Sanchez, Jared Cowley, Max Barr

Orlando, Jared and Max first talk about their assessment of the team during the recent string of close losses to good teams (1:19). Then they talk about how their expectations for the team have changed (21:30). Next they talk about the playoff picture, including the next week of games for the sixth-place Blazers and the seventh-place Dallas Mavericks (31:51). They then play another rousing game of Rip It!, this time with a special guest competitor (39:36)! Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 Hosts: Orlando Sanchez, Jared Cowley, Max Barr

Orlando, Jared and Max first talk about LaMarcus Aldridge’s retirement, share their favorite memories of Aldridge and discuss his departure from Portland (6:20). Then they talk about the Blazers’ recent slump, what’s causing it and whether there are any reasons for optimism (28:05). Next they talk about the playoff picture and whether the Blazers can hold off the Dallas Mavericks and avoid the play-in (47:14). They then play another sensational game of Rip It! (57:00). Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 Hosts: Orlando Sanchez, Jared Cowley, Max Barr

Orlando, Jared, Nate and Max first talk about the return of Jusuf Nurkic and their impressions of Norman Powell's first three games with the Blazers (6:10). Then they talk about Robert Covington's impressive March and how much he impacts the game for the Blazers (20:10). Next they talk about the Blazers' next three games against the Bucks, Thunder and Clippers and make win/loss predictions (37:12). They then play another fantastic game of Rip It! (46:56). Finally, they end the podcast saying goodbye to co-host Nate Hanson and sharing their favorite memories from the pod with Nate (1:02:50). Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 Hosts: Orlando Sanchez, Jared Cowley, Nate Hanson Producer: Max Barr

The Blazers got two good pieces of news Thursday. One, Jusuf Nurkic is back! He announced he'd be returning from injury Friday against the Orlando Magic. Second, Portland made a trade for one of the best shooting wings in the game, Norman Powell! The sad news? The Blazers had to trade Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood to Toronto to make it happen. On this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez and KGW producers Jared Cowley, Nate Hanson and Max Barr talk about the deal the Blazers made, the one they didn't (Aaron Gordon was traded to Denver instead) and what it all means for the team moving forward. They also discuss the return of Nurkic, make predictions for the next four games and play another stimulating game of Rip It!

The first week of the second half of the season has been similar to the first half. Bad Blazers defense and Damian Lillard heroics. Should Blazers fans believe this is the ride they're going to be on the rest of the season? SUBSCRIBE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 With the trade deadline a week from today, should the Blazers be buyers, sellers or stay the course? What do you expect the Blazers will do at the trade deadline and/or in the buyout market? The Blazers play four games, all at home, between now and the next time we meet: Thursday night against the Pelicans, Friday and Sunday against the Mavericks, and Tuesday against the Nets. Which games do the Blazers win and which do they lose? FULL STORY: https://www.kgw.com/article/sports/nba/blazers/history-indicates-jusuf-nurkic-can-rectify-blazers-terrible-defense/283-52e34e60-cbc0-47f8-b281-0c72d1d36084 KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez is joined by KGW's Jared Cowley, Nate Hanson and Max Barr to discuss these topics and play another zippy game of Rip It!

Former Portland Trail Blazers big man LaMarcus Aldridge, a seven-time All-Star who played his first nine seasons in Portland, is available for trade. After the news broke on Wednesday, Blazers fans and media on Twitter began speculating about what it would take to bring Aldridge back to Portland and whether the Blazers should attempt to make such a move. SUBSCRIBE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 That was one of the main topics of conversation during this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast. KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez and digital producers Jared Cowley and Max Barr discussed Aldridge, the pending return of CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic from injury, made predictions for the next four games and played another thrilling game of Rip It! MORE COVERAGE: https://www.kgw.com/article/sports/nba/blazers/should-portland-trail-blazers-bring-back-lamarcus-aldridge/283-57e44574-89b1-4c9f-b16d-5b81b6dcd768  

It has been an impressive first half of the season for the Portland Trail Blazers, who go into the All-Star break in fifth place in the West with a 21-14 record. The Blazers' first-half performance has been even more impressive considering the injuries to CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic. On this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez and digital producers Nate Hanson, Jared Cowley and Max Barr talk about Damian Lillard's perseverance, Enes Kanter's consistency and more. They also revisit the worst predictions they made before the season started, make a prediction or two for the second half of the season and play a thrilling game of All-Star Rip It! Also, someone trips and falls.

The Portland Trail Blazers are on a three-game losing streak and have four games left in the first half of the 2020-21 season. The team also released its second-half schedule this week. On the latest episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez and KGW digital producers Jared Cowley, Nate Hanson and Max Barr discuss both areas of concern and reasons Blazers fans can remain optimistic in the midst of a losing streak. SUBSCRIBE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 Orlando, Jared, Nate and Max also talk about the second-half schedule, which has a lot of back-to-backs, little rest and a killer closing stretch. They make predictions for the final four games of the first half of the season and play another exciting game of Rip It! READ MORE: https://www.kgw.com/article/sports/nba/blazers/portland-trail-blazers-3-game-losing-streak-shooting-slump-podcast/283-4b2679c1-e49d-44e5-b610-5797d58c993d  

Damian Lillard has been one of the most clutch players in the NBA since the Blazers drafted him in 2012, and his ability to close out games has shined bright in the national spotlight this past week. SUBSCRIBE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 It started when Lillard hit what ended up being a game-winning 3-pointer in a 34-point performance to beat the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night, a game that was aired on ESPN. And even though the season isn’t even to the midway point, many of ESPN’s personalities argued the next day that Lillard should be in the MVP conversation. The Dame for MVP campaign was born.  That was the big topic of conversation on the latest episode of KGW’s 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, hosted by KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez, alongside KGW's Jared Cowley, Nate Hanson and Max Barr.

The Portland Trail Blazers are 5-5 since CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic went down with injuries nearly a month ago and still sit in fifth place in the Western Conference. On this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez and KGW digital producers Jared Cowley, Nate Hanson and Max Barr talk about reasons the Blazers have been able to stay afloat, including the brilliance of Damian Lillard and the team's improved depth. SUBSCRIBE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 They also discuss Gary Trent Jr., who continues to excite Blazers fans with his level of play. They discuss Gary Trent Jr.'s ceiling and what NBA player they'd compare him to, including Wesley Matthews, Tyler Herro, Khris Middleton and others. Finally, Orlando, Jared, Nate and Max make predictions for the next five games on the Blazers schedule and play another fantastically fun game of Rip It!

The Portland Trail Blazers continue to stay afloat in a crowded Western Conference despite an injury list that continues to grow. Going into Thuesday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Blazers have been 4-4 in their eight games without center Jusuf Nurkic and 3-4 in their seven games without CJ McCollum. The team is 11-9 so far this year, just percentage points behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the 5th seed in the West. SUBSCRIBE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201 The Blazers have not only been overcoming injuries the last couple weeks but also consistent poor defensive performances. That was the main point of discussion in this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, hosted by KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez alongside KGW's Jared Cowley, Nate Hanson and Max Barr. Overall, on the season the Blazers rank 29th out of 30 teams in the NBA in defensive rating, which calculates a team's defensive efficiency, measured by how many points they give up per 100 possessions. But is the current bad defense attributable to injuries, and the roster head coach Terry Stotts currently has to work with, especially considering the importance of Nurkic, as well as McCollum this season, to the defensive side of the ball? Or is there a bigger systemic problem for the Blazers' defensive woes?

With guard CJ McCollum and center Jusuf Nurkic expected to be out for at least the next month, the Portland Trail Blazers need their bench players to step up and fill the significant voids. Over the past two games, backup point guard Anfernee Simons cast off a slow start to the season with two standout games. Over the past two games, Simons has averaged 21 points per game while making 61% of his shots, including connecting on 62% of his 3-point attempts. Simons' play was the biggest topic of conversation on this week’s 3-on-3 Blazers podcast. The weekly podcast is hosted by KGW sports anchor Orlando Sanchez, alongside KGW's Jared Cowley, Nate Hanson and Max Barr.

CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic, two of the Blazers' three best players, will miss the next month or two of games. How will the Blazers fare over the next 20-plus games without their starting shooting guard and starting center? Do the Blazers need to make a move to shore up the roster? Orlando, Nate, Jared and Max discuss these topics and make predictions for the next handful of games. They also play another rousing game of Rip It!

The injury is a brutal blow for the Blazers as they look to compete at the top of the Western Conference. It's unclear how long Jusuf Nurkic will be out. Orlando and Nate recorded a late podcast after the game to talk about the injury and what comes next for the Blazers.   Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201

The Blazers have won four in a row and are third in the West. Jusuf Nurkic is starting to look like, well, Jusuf Nurkic again. And Portland is about to start a seven-game homestand. How long can they keep this winning streak going? Orlando, Nate, Jared and Max are here to break it all down on this week's episode of KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast. Plus, they play another rousing game of Rip It!Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-on-3-blazers/id1290344201

The Portland Trail Blazers have lost two in a row and are 3-4 to start the season, not exactly what the team or its fans expected. In this week's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast, Orlando, Nate, Jared and Max talk about the team's slow start and whether they've lost confidence in this Blazers team. They also discuss the strong start by CJ McCollum, make predictions for the next four games and last but definitely never least, they play another rousing game of Rip It!

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Portland Trail Blazers center Enes Kanter appeared as guests on the latest episode of KGW’s 3-on-3 Blazers podcast. STORY: https://www.kgw.com/article/sports/nba/blazers/portland-trail-blazers-podcast-ron-wyden-enes-kanter/283-a2377e74-f506-4d67-90e9-ef1f8150277c In a range of topics, Wyden talked about his love for basketball, his favorite Blazers memory and what makes the Blazers fanbase special. Wyden also discussed his friendship with Kanter, who made a surprise appearance on the podcast while the team is getting ready for two games against the Golden State Warriors this weekend.

Before the start of each NBA season, KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast crew gets together to make their best guesses about how the upcoming season will unfold. How many games will the Blazers win? Where will they finish in the West? Which team will win the NBA championship? Which player will be named MVP?

KGW’s 3-on-3 Blazers team –- Orlando Sanchez, Nate Hanson, Jared Cowley and Max Barr -– got together Thursday afternoon to talk about the state of the team. They discussed the organization's positive COVID-19 tests, the Blazers' schedule for the first half of the season and retiring numbers.

KGW’s 3-on-3 Blazers team –- Orlando Sanchez, Nate Hanson, Jared Cowley and Max Barr -– got together Thursday afternoon to talk about the state of the team. They discussed the organization's positive COVID-19 tests, the Blazers' schedule for the first half of the season and retiring numbers.

On this week's episode, we talk about Blazers media week and our top takeaways from the interviews with players and coaches. We also discuss the Blazers' focus on improving their defense. And we debate whether this is the best team Damian Lillard has played with in his career. Plus we answer listener questions! Submit your questions here

On this week's episode, we talk about Blazers media week and our top takeaways from the interviews with players and coaches. We also discuss the Blazers' focus on improving their defense. And we debate whether this is the best team Damian Lillard has played with in his career. Plus we answer listener questions!

Now that the dust has settled after a rapid-fire offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers appear to have a deeper and more talented roster, especially on defense. STORY:  The NBA fast-tracked its offseason, with the start of trade season, the draft and free agency all starting and (mostly) wrapping up last week. In a stretch of seven days, Portland made the following moves: Traded for Robert Covington. Portland gave up forward Trevor Ariza, this year’s first-round pick and a future first-round pick. Drafted C.J. Elleby in the second round. Traded for Enes Kanter. This was part of a three-team deal that sent guard/forward Mario Hezonja to Memphis. Resigned Rodney Hood Signed free agent Derrick Jones Jr. Resigned Carmelo Anthony Signed free agent Harry Giles The move for Covington was the headliner and the reason so many national pundits have raved about the Blazers' offseason. "The Blazers felt one medium-sized move and some good health away from being a problem," said ESPN's Zach Lowe. Covington might be the perfect piece to lock everything into its proper place." But the Blazers also shored up their depth. Depending on who starts, Portland's reserve unit could feature Gary Trent Jr., Anthony, Kanter and Collins, Hood or Jones Jr. "We wanted to be more athletic, we wanted to be better defensively this year," said Neil Olshey, the Trail Blazers’ president of basketball operations. "We wanted more versatility on the perimeter, we wanted to be able to switch more and be more disruptive on defense, more aggressive on that end." At least on paper, it seems like Olshey and the Blazers accomplished many of those goals. How it all gels on the court remains to be seen, but Blazers fans won't have to wait much longer. NBA preseason games begin Dec. 11 and the regular season starts Dec. 22. KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast team got together Wednesday to talk about the Blazers' moves and make some predictions about the season ahead.

Now that the dust has settled after a rapid-fire offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers appear to have a deeper and more talented roster, especially on defense. KGW's 3-on-3 Blazers podcast team got together Wednesday to talk about the Blazers' moves and make some predictions about the season ahead.

KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Nate Hanson talk about the Portland Trail Blazers' shocking Game 1 upset against the Lakers. The Blazers proved they're not a typical 8 seed and have no fear of LeBron James and the Lakers. Orlando and Nate talk about Damian Lillard continuing his elite play in the NBA bubble, the Blazers' experience giving them the ability to rally for victories, and look ahead to Game 2 and the rest of the series.  

KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Nate Hanson talk about the Portland Trail Blazers' shocking Game 1 upset against the Lakers. The Blazers proved they're not a typical 8 seed and have no fear of LeBron James and the Lakers. Orlando and Nate talk about Damian Lillard continuing his elite play in the NBA bubble, the Blazers' experience giving them the ability to rally for victories, and look ahead to Game 2 and the rest of the series.

You can never count out the Portland Trail Blazers as long as Damian Lillard is around. He averaged 37.6 points and 9.6 assists in the eight seeding games in the NBA bubble, playing 41.7 minutes per game as the Blazers went 6-2 to capture the 8 seed and a spot in the play-in series against the Memphis Grizzlies. Portland only needs to beat Memphis once to earn a first-round playoff matchup against LeBron James and the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers.