Both Teams Played Hard

The Blazers held a press conference on Tuesday to introduce the world to their new head coach, Chauncey Billups.  Logan and Paul react to the press conference and discuss why Neil Olshey is a piece of shit and this hire is a gigantic mistake.

Terry Stotts is out and the Blazers are deep in their search for his replacement.  Join Logan and Paul as we recap the Stotts era, discuss the apparent finalists to replace him (Chauncey Billups, Becky Hammon and Mike D'Antoni), and what the team can do to improve the roster this offseason (hint -- it involves trading CJ McCollum).  Plus, Paul argues that it is time for Portland to give up on the Dame era and clean house...

The Blazers evened their first round series  at 2-2 with a game four beatdown of Denver at the Moda Center to set up a best-of-three to finish things up.  Logan and Paul discuss the keys to that game four win, the big performance from Norman Powell, the silencing of Jokic and Michael Porter Jr, the contributions from Nurkic, and the adjustments that Stotts made (namely not playing Enes Kanter).

The Blazers grabbed game 1 in Denver, lost game 2, and come back to the Moda Center with a chance to take the series lead.  Logan and Paul discuss the first two games of the series, and which players need to step up in order for the Blazers to take control.

The playoffs are here and the Blazers are set to face off with the Denver Nuggets in the first round, beginning this Saturday evening.  Logan, Paul, and guest hosts Kevin and Robin talk about the storylines we'll be following, the "x factor" players for each team, and make our predictions for how the series will go.

The Blazers followed a 5 game losing streak with an impressive 4 game winning streak before dropping a game to Atlanta.  Which version of this Blazers team will we get in the remaining 7 games before the playoffs?  Where will the team finish in the standings, and who do we think is our most favorable first-round matchup?  Why is Derrick Jones Jr out of the rotation, and will Damon Stoudamire be Terry Stotts's replacement?  Join Paul, Logan, and guest host Russ for all of this and more.

The Blazers have hit a rough patch of play, and are treading water in the 6th seed in the West.  Continued defensive struggles, a lack of Dame heroics, stagnant offense, and a struggle to integrate Norman Powell have fans concerned.  Is Terry Stotts the problem?  What does the next stretch of games have in store for the Blazers?  And, what is LaMarcus Aldridge's legacy in Rip City?  All of this and more with your hosts Logan and Paul and special guest host Derek.

Norman Powell has arrived.  CJ and Nurkic are back.  Dame is still Dame, and Robert Covington has taken his game to another level.  Can the Blazers pass the Lakers in the West and make a run at a top-four playoff seed?  Join Logan, Paul, and guest host Andrew as we talk about the recent games and look ahead to the next two weeks for Portland.

The trade deadline has passed, and the Blazers added Norman Powell from the Raptors in exchange for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood.  Join Logan and Paul as we break down the trade, compare Trent Jr. and Powell, and discuss what Norman Powell brings to the team.  Plus, Jusuf Nurkic is back!

The Blazers are 6th in the West, CJ is back, and Nurk's return is imminent.  This week also brings the trade deadline, an opportunity for the Blazers to upgrade the roster.  LaMarcus Aldridge may be available as a buyout candidate, but do we want him on the team?  How will the Blazers respond to the blowout loss to the Mavs?  And just how good is Damian Lillard? Join Logan, Paul and guest host Miles as we talk about all of this and more.

Anfernee Simons is an NBA Dunk Champion, and the Blazers start the second half of the season in 5th place in the West despite missing CJ and Nurkic for most of the season.  CJ and Nurk are coming back in the near future, RoCo has been stepping up in big ways, and Dame continues to shoulder the load and show his mettle.  Logan, Paul, and guest host Andrew break down Portland's prospects for the next two weeks and discuss everything you need to know about the season so far and the games to come.

The Blazers ripped off six wins in a row before dropping Saturday's game against the Wizards.  The All-Star starters were announced, and Dame lost out to Luka Doncic via the fan vote.  Gary Trent Jr., Anfernee Simons, Melo and Robert Covington have all been impressive in the recent stretch of wins.  What does the next two weeks have in store for Portland?  Join Logan, Paul and guest host Reid as we break it all down.

Logan, Paul and guest host Derek discuss where the Blazer are after 22 games: in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, and also not far off from being outside of the top 8.  With injuries to CJ, Nurkic, Zach, and Derrick Jones Jr., the rest of the team has been forced to play extra minutes.  Who's excelled, and who do we need to see more from?  

Join Logan, Paul, and guest host Kean as we talk about impressions from the first two preseason games.  Do the Blazers finally have the depth that the roster lacked last season?  Is Harry Gilles III a rotation player for the team?  Is Carmelo the biggest free agent signing in franchise history?  Plus, we predict the Western Conference playoff teams.  And, what it's like to be inside the Moda Center for an NBA game with no fans.

The first week of Free Agency brought moves aplenty around the NBA, including some key acquisitions for the Blazers.  A trade brought Robert Covington to town, Melo and Hood resigned, Olshey snagged Derrick Jones Jr., and Enes Kanter is back in Portland.  Logan, Paul and guest host Russ react to the new roster, project the new starting lineup, and take a look at the significant moves made by other teams around the Western Conference.  We recap where some former Blazers have landed this offseason, and then take a peek at the reshaped Eastern Conference.

Who will the Blazers target with the 16th pick in the draft?  Is a draft-day trade in the offing? What does free agency have in store for Portland?  Will Carmelo be back?  Who can Neil Olshey add to bolster the rotation, and what the greatest areas of need for the Blazers? Join Logan, Paul, and guest host Miles for all this and more.

Paul and Logan are joined by guests Derek and Chris to recap the 2019-2020 Blazers season.  Was the season a success or a failure or something in between?  Do we still believe in the Dame/CJ combo to take Portland to a title?  Is Gary Trent Jr. the next starting SG? Is Terry Stotts the right coach to keep around, and what about Neil Olshey?  We also look at the big free agency questions facing the Blazers.  Should we bring back Melo?  How about Hassan? Is there a potential for the Blazers to acquire an impact player on the trade market?  All this and lots more in a special episode from us, to you.

Portland crashed down to earth as the Lakers made this one a no-doubter by the middle of the 3rd quarter - even before Dame left with a finger injury.  Does the Blazers' putrid performance mean this series is as good as over, or should Rip City remain optimistic about the team's chances going into the third game of the series?

Logan and Paul discuss the key takeaways from the Blazers' game one victory over the Lakers in Orlando.  Portland held LA to a tragically low 3 point percentage and limited to LeBron to 23 points.  Can we continue to keep the Lakers offense in check?  Can Wenyen Gabriel remain a viable option in the lineup with Zach Collins sidelined with an ankle injury?  Will Nurkic finally get that coveted "bubble" triple-double? All this and more in the latest episode of BTPH!

With Thursday night's nail-biting win over Brooklyn, the Blazers have ensured themselves a shot at making the Playoffs and facing the Lakers in the first round.  But, first they'll have to win at least one game against Memphis over the weekend.  Logan, Andrew, and an extremely jubilant Paul react to the Brooklyn game and predict the Memphis matchup.

Paul and Logan take stock of where the Blazers stand after 6 games in Orlando, and look ahead to the final two "reseeding" games that will lead into the play-in for the 8th seed and the right to a playoff birth in the West.  Dame is doing his usual superhero antics, but who on the team needs to step up in the final two games to ensure the Blazers have a shot at facing the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs?

The Blazers are 2-1 in their first three games in the Orlando bubble. Nurk is back like a bad habit, Gary Trent Jr. is proving we can trade CJ (according to Logan), and Dame is (mostly) doing Dame things.  Logan and Paul give an overview of how the team has done so far, which players have exceeded expectations (and which have not) and look ahead to the next three games against Denver, the LA Clippers and Philadelphia.

On the eve of the Blazers restart, we discuss the scrimmage games that led up to the resumption of the regular season, how Nurkic and Collins have looked, what the lineups and rotation will look like, and predict the Blazers' record in the 8 games before the playoffs/playin begins.

Paul, Logan, and guest host Chris discuss all things Orlando bubble -- we talk about the Blazers rotation with the return of Nurkic and Collins and the absence of Ariza, the schedule for the 8 "play-in" games, and what we're looking forward to when the Blazers return to action at the end of July.

Logan, Paul, and Miles discuss and debate the proposals to restart the NBA season this summer, with an eye on how each proposal would affect the Blazers.

Logan, Paul and Kean discuss the fallout from the NBA's decision to suspend the season. What is the impact on the hundreds of workers who keep the Moda Center humming for home games? What does this mean for the Blazers, and when will the league resume operations?

Jusuf Nurkic will be back for Sunday's game against Houston, but is the Blazers' season too far gone to save? Logan and Paul discuss the impact of Nurk's return for the final 15 games of the regular season, and lay out just how difficult it will be for Portland to climb into the playoffs.

The Blazers are sitting just outside a playoff spot, tied with four teams (!) for 9th in the Western Conference. Dame is coming back from his groin injury, and the team cannot afford to continue treading water. Logan and Paul discuss the recent games without Dame, the continued emergence of Gary Trent Jr., and look ahead to what it will take for the Blazers to make this playoff push.

The Blazers' playoff hopes are on life support and Damian Lillard is injured. Logan and Paul debate the likelihood of the team making the playoffs, and whether or not that should be the priority at this stage of the season. We talk about CJ's recent play as the starting PG, the emergence and development of the younger players on the team, and whether Nurkic and Collins should try to return to the court this season.

The Blazers are 7-3 in their last ten games and the team is coming together just in time for the stretch run. Logan, Paul, and guest host Chris break down the recent run of good play by the team, talk about the emergence of Gary Trent Jr., analyze the winners and losers from trade deadline deals, and look at the games coming up this week.

We're joined by Overtime Media affiliate podcast Jabber Jazz to look at tonight's game against Utah.

With the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant over the weekend, we reflect on his impact on the NBA, the Lakers, and the LA community with Alex from the Laker Central Podcast. We also assess the state of the Blazers, look at the upcoming games this week and make our predictions. And -- How Good Is Damian Lillard??? Read Jill Filipovic on Kobe's legacy: https://jill.substack.com/p/kobe-bryant-and-complicated-legacies

The Blazers made their first trade of the season, sending out Kent Bazemore and Anthony Tolliver for Trevor Ariza and two project bigs. We assess the trade for the Blazers, what it means for the team on the court in the short term, and what it says about the possibility of future moves. Biggie Swanigan is back, baby!! Plus, we look at the week ahead and make our predictions for the upcoming games against the Warriors, Mavericks, and Pacers.

The Blazers have played 41 games and officially passed the halfway mark of the regular season. Logan and Paul weigh in with our grades for the players, coach and GM for the first half of the season. As always, we also take a look at the games ahead in the next week and make our predictions for the win/loss record.

Melo hit the game winning shot in Toronto to provide a much-needed high note for the Blazers. What now? Logan and Paul discuss the recent run of play from the team, where the Blazers sit in the playoff race, and what options might be available on the trade market for expiring contracts Hassan Whiteside and Kent Bazemore. Sit back, relax, and adjust your expectations...

We debate the best Blazers of the 2010s and give New Year's wishes for the players on the current roster. Join Logan and Paul for the final episode of the year as we debate the best players from the last decade and make our wishes for the coming year for each player on the current roster.

The Blazers have their first 4 game win streak of the season and are back in playoff position, but will be tested this week with two tough opponents. Join Logan, Paul, and guest host Reid as we assess the current state of the team, and talk about what needs to happen for the Blazers to keep the good times rolling with a schedule that features the Lakers and the Jazz in the next week, as well as home games against two sub-.500 teams. Can Hassan Whiteside continue his beast mode on rebounds and blocks? Will Bazemore's uptick in shooting hold up? Plus, our predictions for the week ahead.

The Blazers went 2-1 this past week and have three very winnable games coming up this week. They have a chance to make up significant ground on the teams just above them in the playoff chase, and "trade season" is unofficially open now that we've passed December 15th and nearly every player on an NBA roster can be traded, even those signed in this last offseason. We break down the names that have been floated as possible trade targets for the Blazers and rank them from 1-10, then look ahead to the matchups for this coming week. Read Dame's piece in the Players Tribune here: https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/damian-lillard-loyalty-over-everything

Rodney Hood is done for the season and the Blazers are searching for a winning formula to stay in the playoff race in the Western Conference. Logan, Paul and guest host Derek discuss what the team needs to do now to remain in contention -- or, should the team accept its limitations and tank for a top draft pick? Who's available on the trade market, and how does the Carmelo Anthony addition affect the type of players that the Blazers might target in a trade?

Melo is here and has sparked the Blazers to their first 3-game win streak of the season. Paul and Logan talk about the impact of the Carmelo addition so far, and what it means going forward. The Blazers have two big games coming up this week against the Lakers and Clippers. Can they keep the good mojo rolling, or should we expect a regression? We also discuss Rodney Hood's stellar shooting, Kent Bazemore's less-than-stellar shooting, and Anfernee Simons quieting down.

The Blazers got their first blowout road win of the season against the Bulls, and Carmelo found his groove. We discuss the win against Chicago, and the promising trends that give us hope that the Blazers are still a playoff team. We look at where the Blazers stand in the Western Conference and which teams they need to leapfrog in order to make the playoffs, and reconsider what our expectations are for this season. Link to youtube video on the Blockers and Movers offense that the Blazers employ: https://youtu.be/dNIXs2DJxF4

Carmelo Anthony is coming to the Blazers and there's reason for hope with the youngsters. Paul and Logan talk about how the play of Anfernee Simons, Skal Labissiere and Nasir Little have us feeling better about the team, and cover the good and bad so far for the six rotation players who aren't named Dame or CJ. We also dissect the issues that the Blazers are having on defense and rebounding and look to the upcoming week of games on the road trip.

After ten games, the Blazers are 4-6 and searching for someone to step up and help out Damian Lillard. Injuries continue to hit the rotation hard, and the frontcourt depth is frighteningly thin. Join Logan and guest host Andrew as we talk about what concerns us about this team, and what gives us reasons for optimism. Can CJ get back into rhythm? Is Anfernee Simons for real? What is Mario Hezonja doing? And, where is Paul??

Join Logan and Paul for a special episode! We take a look at where the Blazers stand after the first 7 games of the season, then get some inside info and preview the Friday game against the Nets with Adam of the We Got Nets podcast. Dame's up, CJ's down, Ant's showing out, Collins IS out, Whiteside has impressed, and Anthony Tolliver is on the roster and playing real minutes. Check out our friends at the We Got Nets podcast on social media @wegotnets and at wegotnets.com to follow their content.

Join Logan, Paul, and guest host Andrew as we talk Portland Trail Blazers basketball. We recap what we've learned from the first three games of the season. How is the starting lineup looking? Which bench players have showed up, and who's in line to get their minutes reduced? What trends concern us so far? And what's in store for the next week's worth of matchups?

Paul and Logan give our final thoughts before the season starts, discuss potential Blazers trade targets, and revisit the ongoing NBA/China controversy with some insights from a friend of the pod.

Join Logan, Paul, and guest host Miles as we talk Portland Trail Blazers basketball!  We discuss the first three preseason games, talk about where the Blazers will get three-pointer production this season vs. last, banter about what it would take for CJ to make the All-Star team, and cover your options for grabbing a drink before catching a game at the Moda Center.

Join Logan, Paul, and guest host Kean as we talk Portland Trail Blazers basketball.  NBA preseason starts this week, and the season is fast approaching.  We cover the latest Blazers headlines and give our preview of the Eastern Conference teams.

Join Logan, Paul, and guest host Derek as we break down the Blazers' competition this season in the Western Conference.  Who stands between the Blazers and a trip to the NBA Finals?  Who are we worried about, and what needs to break right for other teams to make the playoffs in the competitive West?  We make our predictions for regular season finishes in the West.

Logan and Paul preview the big games on the schedule for the Blazers this year, talk about the tough road trips, and banter about assembling an all-time Blazers starting rotation.  We need your help to expand the exercise to create an all-time 12 man roster for the franchise.  Get at us on twitter @bothteamspod to join the conversation!

Join Logan and Paul as we talk Portland Trail Blazers basketball!  We talk about the big questions facing the team as training camp looms -- who's the starting 3?  How does the frontcourt rotation sort out?  Which players need to prove themselves to earn rotation minutes?  We also discuss the failure of USA Basketball in the FIBA World Cup competition, and give a salute to Shaun Livingston.