Portland Trail Blazers

Template:NBA team The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are a professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team owner is Paul Allen, who purchased the team in 1988. The team president is Larry Miller, and the general manager is Kevin Pritchard. The head coach of the Trail Blazers is Nate McMillan. The team's NBDL affiliate is the Idaho Stampede

The franchise, based in Portland throughout its existence, entered the league in 1970, and are the only major league franchise in the state of Oregon. From 1977 through 1995, the team sold out 814 consecutive home games, the longest such streak in American professional sports. Since 1995 the Blazers have played their home games at the 19,980 seat Rose Garden Arena on the east side of the city; the team's original home arena was the 12,888-seat Memorial Coliseum, which stands adjacent to the Rose Garden in the area known as the Rose Quarter.

The team has advanced to the NBA Finals three times, winning the NBA Championship once, in 1977. The team also advanced to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. The team has qualified for the playoffs during 25 seasons of their 36-season existence, including a streak of 21 straight appearances from 1983 through 2003. Four Hall of Fame players have laced up sneakers for the Trail Blazers (Lenny Wilkens, Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, and Drazen Petrovic), as well as one player (Scottie Pippen) who was recognized as one of the league's 50 greatest but who is not yet eligible for the Hall. Bill Walton is the franchise's most decorated player; he was the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 1977, and the regular season MVP the following year. Three Blazer rookies (Geoff Petrie, Sidney Wicks, and Brandon Roy) have won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Two Hall of Fame coaches, Lenny Wilkens and Jack Ramsay, have patrolled the sidelines for the Blazers, and two others (Mike Schuler and Mike Dunleavy) have won the NBA Coach of the Year award with the team.

History

Main article: History of the Portland Trail Blazers

The Rose Garden Arena, the current home of the Blazers.

File:Blazers original.gif

Trail Blazers logo from 1970-1991.

File:Blazers 2.gif

TrailBlazers logo from 1991-2002.

File:Blazers 3.gif

Trail Blazers logo for 2002-03 season.

The Trail Blazers entered the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team, playing in the Memorial Coliseum. The team was led in its early years by charismatic players such as Geoff Petrie and Sidney Wicks, but as is common with expansion teams, did not achieve much success as a result. The Blazers failed to qualify for the NBA postseason in their first six years of existence. During that span, the team had three head coaches (including future hall-of-famer Lenny Wilkens); team executive Stu Inman also served as coach. The team won the first pick in the NBA Draft twice during that span; the 1972 selection of LaRue Martin with the number one pick is considered by many NBA observers one of the worst draft picks in NBA history. However, in 1974 the team selected Bill Walton from UCLA; a pick that would reverse the team's fortunes in a dramatic way.

Championship

Main article: 1977 NBA Finals

In 1976, the American Basketball Association merged with the NBA. Four ABA teams joined the NBA; the remaining teams were dissolved and their players distributed among the remaining NBA squads in a dispersal draft. The Trail Blazers selected Maurice Lucas in the dispersal draft; that summer they also hired Jack Ramsay as head coach. The two moves, coupled with the emergence of Walton as a premier NBA big man, led the team to its first winning record (49—33), its first playoff appearance, and its only NBA Championship in 1977. On April 5 of that year, the team failed to sell out a game, after which they would embark on a sellout streak of 809 straight games--the longest in sports history--which would not end until 1995, after the team moved into a larger facility.

The team started the next season with a 50-10 record, and many predicted a dynasty in Portland, but it was not to be. Walton suffered a foot injury which ended his season and would plague his entire career, and the team struggled to a 58-24 record, losing to the Seattle Supersonics in the conference semifinals. That summer, Bill Walton demanded a trade; when none was forthcoming he held out the entire 1978-1979 season and left the team as a free agent thereafter. Maurice Lucas would leave the team in 1980, and the Blazers "dynasty" was fhinshed.

The 1980s

During the 1980s, the team would be a consistent presence in the NBA postseason, only once failing to qualify for the playoffs (in 1982). However, they would never advance past the conference semifinals during the decade. The Pacific Division of the NBA was owned by the Los Angeles Lakers throughout the decade, and only the Lakers and the Houston Rockets would represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. Key players for the team during the early 80s included Mychal Thompson, Fat Lever, Darnell Valentine, Wayne Cooper, T. R. Dunn, Jim Paxson, and Calvin Natt. But the offseasons of 1983 and 1984 would be instrumental in defining the future success--and failure--of the team into the next decade.

In 1983, the team selected University of Houston guard/forward Clyde Drexler with the 13th pick in the draft; "Clyde the Glide" would become the face of the franchise for over a decade, and the team's most decorated player with the exception of Walton. The following year, the Trail Blazers landed the #2 pick in the NBA Draft. After the Houston Rockets selected Drexler's college teammate Akeem Olajuwon at #1, the Trail Blazers selected Kentucky center Sam Bowie. Drafting third, the Chicago Bulls would select Michael Jordan. Many sportswriters and analysts have criticized the selection of the injury-plagued Bowie over Jordan as the worst draft pick in the history of American professional sports. That summer, the Blazers also made a controversial trade, sending Lever, Cooper, and Natt to the Denver Nuggets for high-scoring forward Kiki Vandeweghe.

However, the Blazers continued to struggle in the postseason, and in 1986 Ramsay would be fired and replaced with Mike Schuler. That off-season, the team would draft two players from behind the Iron Curtain, Arvydas Sabonis and Drazen Petrovic., and send Thompson to the San Antonio Spurs for former Oregon State University star Steve Johnson, a high-scoring forward-center who the team intended to pair with Bowie on the frontline. It was not to be, as Bowie broke his leg five games into the 1986-87 season, and would miss the next two and a half seasons. During Schuler's brief tenure, the Blazers failed to advance out of the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Paul Allen buys the team

In 1988, the team was purchased by billionaire Paul Allen. His first season as owner was one marked by turmoil, as conflicts over who should start erupted at several positions. Both Kiki Vandeweghe and Steve Johnson suffered injuries and were replaced in the starting lineup by Jerome Kersey and Kevin Duckworth respectively, and several players, most notably Clyde Drexler was accused of undermining Schuler The team struggled to a losing record and appeared in danger of missing the playoffs. Schuler was fired and replaced on an interim basis with assistant coach Rick Adelman, and Vandeweghe was traded to the New York Knicks. Under Aldeman, the team rallied to a 39-43 record, barely qualifying for the playoffs. That offseason, the team traded Sam Bowie (who had returned to the team to end the season) to the New Jersey Nets for forward Buck Williams, and Adelman was given the coaching job on a non-interim basis.

The addition of Williams, and the replacement of the defensively-challenged Vandeweghe with the defensive-minded Kersey, turned the team from a poor defensive squad into a good one. Led by the charismatic Clyde Drexler, the team would reach the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992, losing to the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls respectively. The year in between, the team posted a league-best 63-19 record before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals. However, the team failed to win an NBA title; and failed to advance past the first round in 1993 and 1994. Adelman was fired after the 1994 season, and replaced with P. J. Carlesimo. Adelman's close friend, executive vice president Geoff Petrie, resigned, to be replaced with former Sonics GM Bob Whitsitt.

The Whitsitt years

Bob Whitsitt immediately set about retooling the Blazers; this included dismantling the Drexler-led team which had twice been to the finals, but which was getting long in the tooth. In 1993, Kevin Duckworth was traded to the Washington Bullets for forward Harvey Grant. Several key players were permitted to walk away in free agency, including Buck Williams (1996), Terry Porter (1996), and Cliff Robinson (1997). Jerome Kersey was left unprotected in the 1996 expansion draft. And Drexler himself would request and get a trade to the Rockets. In the fall of 1995, the team left the Memorial Coliseum for a new home, the 20,000-seat Rose Garden. The sellout streak would end in the new building.

In an effort to rebuild, the team acquired several players who were highly talented, but had reputations for off-court troubles. Isaiah Rider and Rasheed Wallace were acquired in trades, and point guard Kenny Anderson was signed as a free agent, and subsequently traded for Damon Stoudamire. Initially, this approach worked, as the team returned to the Western Conference finals in 1999 under head coach Mike Dunleavy. After being swept by the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs, Whitsitt sent Rider and guard Jim Jackson to the Atlanta Hawks for guard Steve Smith, and acquired former All-Star forward Scottie Pippen from the Houston Rockets. This team would again advance to the Western Conference Finals, where they faced a Los Angeles Lakers team led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. In that series, the Blazers dropped 3 out of the first 4 games before winning the next two, forcing a pivotal Game 7. The Blazers had a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter, but lost the game and the series to the Lakers, who would go on to win the first of three titles in a row.

The Jail Blazers

After that failure, the team made a series of personnel moves in the 2000 and 2001 off-seasons which failed to produce the desired results, and continued to alienate the community. Up-and-coming forward Jermaine O'Neal was traded to the Indiana Pacers for Dale Davis, and the team traded popular forward Brian Grant for troubled ex-Seattle forward Shawn Kemp. The team started off well, posting the Western Conference's best record through March of 2001; but then signed guard Rod Strickland to augment their point guard corps. The move backfired, and the team lost 17 of its remaining 25 games, and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Many in the media began to criticize the team, and Whitsitt, previously proclaimed a genius for his work in both Seattle and Portland, started coming under criticism. A particular criticism was that Whitsitt was was attempting to win a title by assembling a roster of superstars, without paying attention to team chemistry; longtime NBA coach and analyst Doug Collins referred to Whitsitt as a "rotisserie-league manager". A fan was ejected from the Rose Garden for holding up a banner that said "Trade Whitsitt", and many in the national media started referring to the team as the "Portland Jail Blazers".

That offseason, the churning continued. Dunleavy was fired, and replaced with Maurice Cheeks, a "players coach" who it was thought would relate better to the players than did Dunleavy. More transactions followed, as the Blazers traded Steve Smith to the Spurs for Derek Anderson. In one of his most controverial moves to that time, Whitsitt signed free agent Ruben Patterson, who had previously plead nolo contendre to a felony sexual assault charge, and was required to register as a sex offender. Popular center Arvydas Sabonis decided to leave the team.

The next two seasons were just as disasterous for the team's reputation. Numerous players, including Rasheed Wallace, Damon Stoudamire, and Qyntel Woods, were arrested for marijuana possession. Rasheed Wallace was suspended for seven games for threatening a referee. Zach Randolph and Ruben Patterson got in a fight during practice, with Randolph sucker punching his teammate in the jaw. Police answering a burglar alarm at Stoudamire's house noticed a marijuana smell, searched the premises, and found a pound of cannibas located in a crawlspace; the search was later declared illegal and charges in the matter were dropped. Fan discontent soared; despite the team continuing to post a winning record, attendance at the Rose Garden started to decline. In the summer of 2003, with attendance declining, the team going nowhere on the court, and an exorboriant payroll, Whitsitt announced that he would leave the team to focus on Paul Allen's other franchise (the Seattle Seahawks).

Plunge to the lottery; Rose Garden bankruptcy

The new management promised a focus on character while remaining playoff contenders. Troublesome players including Bonzi Wells, Rasheed Wallace, and Jeff McInnis were traded away. However, the team failed to qualify for the 2004 NBA playoffs, ending a streak of 21 straight appearances. The following year was marked by more trouble, as the team plummeted to a 27-55 record. The bankruptcy of the Oregon Arena corporation, which resulted in the Rose Garden being owned by a consortium of investment firms, further alienated the fanbase, as did an incident in which forward Darius Miles (himself African-American) called coach Maurice Cheeks an ethnic slur. The latter incident was compounded by what many viewed as inadquate discipline for Miles, followed by a secret agreement between the team and Miles to refund the amount of his fine. Cheeks would be fired that season, and was replaced the next summer by Nate McMillan.

The following season was not better, as the Blazers posted a league-worst 21-61 record. Attendance was dismal, and the year was not free of player ncidents, as players such as Miles, Ruben Patterson, Zach Randolph, and Sebastian Telfair were involved in either on-court bickering or off-court legal incidents. At the end of the season, GM John Nash would be fired, with Patterson assuming the role in addition to his duties as president. In addition, the team had a poor relationship with the management of the Rose Garden, frequently complaining of a "broken economic model". It was widely speculated by the end of the year that Allen would sell the team; and the team was offered for sale that summer, with several groups expressing interest. However, the team had a successful draft, and Allen mysteriously took the franchise off the market.

Rebirth in 2007

Things improved in 2007. Allen bought the team back that spring, and the Blazers improved to 32-50. Rookie Brandon Roy was Rookie of the Year, and the Blazers won the 2007 NBA Draft Lottery, selecting Greg Oden with the #1 pick in the draft. Patterson resigned his positions with the team, and was replaced with Kevin Pritchard as general manager, and former Nike Inc. executive Larry Miller as president. However, Oden would suffer a season-ending knee injury during the off-season.

NBA Draft

The Trail Blazers have had the #1 pick in the NBA Draft four times in their history; each time selecting a center. In 1972 the choice was LaRue Martin, Bill Walton was picked in 1974, Mychal Thompson in 1978, and Greg Oden was taken in 2007. Several Blazer picks have been criticized by NBA commentators as particularly unwise:

• The selection of Martin (an NBA bust) over Bob McAdoo.
• The selection of center Sam Bowie with the #2 pick in the 1984 NBA Draft over Michael Jordan; other notable players taken in that draft include future Hall-of-Famers Charles Barkley and John Stockton.
• The selection of Thompson over Larry Bird (drafted #6 by the Boston Celtics) in 1978.

Other notable players drafted by the team include

• Geoff Petrie, Princeton University, 1970, First round (#8)
• Sidney Wicks, UCLA, 1971, First round (#2)
• Larry Steele, University of Kentucky, 1971, Third round (#2)
• LaRue Martin, Loyola University, 1972, First round (#1)
• Dave Twardzik, Old Dominion University, 1972, Second round (#13)
• Lloyd Neal, Tennessee State University, 1972, Third round (#1)
• Bill Walton, UCLA, 1974, First Round (#1)
• Jan van Breda Kolff, Vanderbilt University, 1974, Second Round (#2)
• Lionel Hollins, Arizona State University, 1975, First Round (#6)
• Bob Gross, California State University, Long Beach, 1975, Second Round (#7)
• Wally Walker, University of Virginia, 1976, First Round (#5)
• Major Jones, Albany State University, 1976, Second Round (#3)
• Johnny Davis, University of Dayton, 1976, Second Round (#5)
• T. R. Dunn, University of Alabama, 1977, Second Round (#19)
• Mychal Thompson, University of Minnesota, 1978, First Round (#1)
• Ron Brewer, University of Arkansas, 1978, First Round (#7)
• Jim Paxson, University of Dayton, 1979, First Round (#12)
• Ronnie Lester, University of Iowa, 1980, First Round (#10)
• Jeff Lamp, University of Virginia, 1981, First Round (#15)
• Darnell Valentine, Kansas University, 1981, First Round (#16)
• Fat Lever, Arizona State University, 1982, First Round (#11)
• Audie Norris, Jackson State University, 1982, Second Round (#14)
• Clyde Drexler, University of Houston, 1983, First Round (#13)
• Sam Bowie, University of Kentucky, 1984, First Round (#2)
• Bernard Thompson, California State University, Fresno, 1984, First Round (#19)
• Steve Colter, New Mexico State University, 1984, Second Round (#9)
• Jerome Kersey, Longwood University, 1984, Second round (#22)
• Terry Porter, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 1985, First round (#24)
• Walter Berry, St. John's University, 1986, First round (#14)
• Arvydas Sabonis, Soviet Union, 1986, First round (#24)
• Drazen Petrovic, Yugoslavia, Third round (#13)
• Mark Bryant, Seton Hall University, 1988, First round (#21)
• Anthony Mason, Tennessee State University, 1988, Third round (#3)
• Byron Irvin, University of Missouri, 1989, First round (#22)
• Clifford Robinson, University of Connecticut, 1989, Second round (#9)
• Alaa Abdelnaby, Duke University, 1990, First round (#25)
• Dave Johnson, Syracuse University, 1992, First round (#26)
• Reggie Smith, Texas Christian University, 1992, Second round (#4)
• James Robinson, University of Alabama, 1993, First round (#21)
• Aaron McKie, Temple University, 1994, First round (#17)
• Shawn Respert, Michigan State University, 1995, First round (#8)
• Jermaine O'Neal, high school, 1996, First round (#17)
• Alvin Williams, Villanova University, 1997, Second round (#19)
• Erick Barkley, St. John's University, 2000, First round (#28)
• Zach Randolph, Michigan State University, 2001, First round (#21)
• Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje, Georgetown University, 2001, Second round (#21)
• Qyntel Woods, Northeast Mississippi Community College, 2002, First round (#21)
• Travis Outlaw, high school, 2003, First round (#23)
• Sebastian Telfair, high school, 2004, First round (#13)
• Sergei Monia, Russia, 2004, First round (#23)
• Ha Seung Jin, Korea, 2004, Second round (#17)
• Martell Webster, high school, 2005, First round (#6)
• Linas Kleiza, Missouri, 2005 NBA Draft, First round (#27) traded on draft day along with Ricky Sanchez to the Denver Nuggets for Jarrett Jack
• Tyrus Thomas, Louisiana State University, 2006, First round (#4) Traded, along with Viktor Khrypha, to the Chicago Bulls for LaMarcus Aldridge
• Randy Foye, Villanova, 2006, First round (#7) Traded on draft day to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Brandon Roy
• Sergio Rodriguez, Spain, 2006, First round (#27) Drafted by the Phoenix Suns, pick traded to Portland on draft day
• Joel Freeland, England, 2006, First round (#30)
• Greg Oden, Ohio State University, 2007, First round (#1)
• Rudy Fernandez, Spain, 2007, First round (323) Drafted by the Phoenix Suns, pick traded to Portland on draft day
• Petteri Koponen, Finland, 2007, First round (#30) Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers and traded to Portland on draft day
• Josh McRoberts, Duke University, 2007, Second round (#7)
• Taurean Green, University of Florida, 2007, Second round (#22)

Season-by-season records

In the team's 36 years of existence, excluding the current season, the Blazers have qualified for the NBA playoffs 25 times. This includes a streak of 21 straight playoff appearances from 1983 through 2003. The team has one one NBA title, in 1977, and appeared in the NBA Finals two other times, in 1990 and 1992. The best record posted by the team was 63-19, in 1991; the worst record was 18-64, in the team's second season.

Note: W = wins, L = losses, % = win–loss %

Season	W	L	%	Playoffs	Results
Portland Trail Blazers
1970-71	29	53	.354	Did not make the playoffs
1971-72	18	64	.220	Did not make the playoffs
1972-73	21	61	.256	Did not make the playoffs
1973-74	27	55	.329	Did not make the playoffs
1974-75	38	44	.463	Did not make the playoffs
1975-76	37	45	.451	Did not make the playoffs
1976-77	49	33	.598	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	Portland 2, Chicago 1 Portland 4, Denver 2 Portland 4, Los Angeles 0 Portland 4, Philadelphia 2
1977-78	58	24	.707	First round bye (1st seed) Lost Conference Semifinals	Seattle 4, Portland 2
1978-79	45	37	.549	Lost First Round	Phoenix 2, Portland 1
1979-80	38	44	.463	Lost First Round	Seattle 2, Portland 1
1980-81	45	37	.549	Lost First Round	Kansas City 2, Portland 1
1981-82	42	40	.512	Did not make the playoffs
1982-83	46	36	.561	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	Portland 2, Seattle 0 Los Angeles 4, Portland 1
1983-84	48	38	.585	Lost First Round	Phoenix 3, Portland 2
1984-85	42	40	.512	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	Portland 3, Dallas 1 Los Angeles 4, Portland 1
1985-86	40	42	.489	Lost First Round	Denver 3, Portland 1
1986-87	49	33	.598	Lost First Round	Houston 3, Portland 1
1987-88	53	29	.646	Lost First Round	Utah 3, Portland 1
1988-89	39	43	.476	Lost First Round	Los Angeles 3, Portland 0
1989-90	59	23	.720	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	Portland 3, Dallas 0 Portland 4, San Antonio 3 Portland 4, Phoenix 2 Detroit 4, Portland 1
1990-91	63	19	.768	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	Portland 3, Seattle 2 Portland 4, Utah 1 Los Angeles 4, Portland 2
1991-92	57	25	.695	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	Portland 3, Los Angeles 1 Portland 4, Phoenix 1 Portland 4, Utah 2 Chicago 4, Portland 2
1992-93	51	31	.622	Lost First Round	San Antonio 3, Portland 1
1993-94	47	35	.573	Lost First Round	Houston 3, Portland 1
1994-95	44	38	.537	Lost First Round	Phoenix 3, Portland 0
1995-96	44	38	.537	Lost First Round	Utah 3, Portland 2
1996-97	49	33	.598	Lost First Round	Los Angeles 3, Portland 1
1997-98	46	36	.561	Lost First Round	Los Angeles 3, Portland 1
1998-99	35	15	.700	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	Portland 3, Phoenix 0 Portland 4, Utah 2 San Antonio 4, Portland 0
1999-2000	59	23	.720	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	Portland 3, Minnesota 1 Portland 4, Utah 1 Los Angeles 4, Portland 3
2000-01	50	32	.610	Lost First Round	Los Angeles 3, Portland 0
2001-02	49	33	.598	Lost First Round	Los Angeles 3, Portland 0
2002-03	50	32	.610	Lost First Round	Dallas 4, Portland 3
2003-04	41	41	.500	Did not make the playoffs
2004-05	27	55	.329	Did not make the playoffs
2005-06	21	61	.256	Did not make the playoffs
2006-07	32	50	.400	Did not make the playoffs
2007-08	1	3	.250
Totals	1588	1420	.528
Playoffs	0	0	.000
Playoffs	91	103	.469	1 Championship

Players

The current roster for the Trail Blazers is as follows:

Current depth chart

Position	Starters	Second Unit	Third Unit (Inactive/Injured)
C	Joel Przybilla 7'1" 250	LaMarcus Aldridge (F/C) 6'11" 245	Raef LaFrentz 6'11" 245, Greg Oden(INJ) 7'0" 2250
PF	LaMarcus Aldridge (F/C) 6'11" 245	Channing Frye 6'11" 248	Josh McRoberts 6'10" 240
SF	Martell Webster 6'7" 229	Travis Outlaw 6'9" 215	James Jones 6'8" 220, Darius Miles (INJ) 6'9" 222
SG	Brandon Roy 6'6" 229	Steve Blake (PG/SG) 6'3" 172
PG	Jarrett Jack 6'3" 197	Steve Blake (PG/SG) 6'3" 172	Sergio Rodríguez 6'3" 168 Taurean Green 6'0" 177

Notable former players

Clyde Drexler.

Five current members of the Basketball Hall of Fame have played for or coached the Trail Blazers. These are:

• Clyde Drexler, played for the team from 1983 through 1995. Led the team to Finals apperances in 1990 and 1992. Played for the 1992 US Mens Basketball Team in the Olympics. Won an NBA title in 1995 with the Houston Rockets. Named one of the Top 50 players in NBA history.
• Drazen Petrovic, one of the first players from behind the Iron Curtain to play in the NBA. Played with the Blazers from 1989 through 1991, died in a traffic accident in 1993.
• Bill Walton. All-American collegiate player at UCLA, led the Blazers to the title in 1977. Would later win a title with the Boston Celtics in 1986. Named one of the Top 50 players in NBA history,, winner of both an NBA Finals MVP award (1977) and a regular season MVP award (1978).
• Lenny Wilkens. Spent two years as head coach of the Blazers in the 1970s, including one year as player-coach. Named one of the Top 50 players in NBA history, as well as one of the Top 10 coaches--the only person to make both lists.

In addition, two other former Trail Blazers merit Hall of Fame consideration but are not yet eligible. Scottie Pippen was selected into the NBA's Top 50 players of all time and is considered a shoe-in for the Hall, though some consider him unworthy. Center Arvydas Sabonis is also considered a likely Hall candidate, chiefly for his international career.

Several players (and others) have had their numbers retired by the team. These are:

• 1 Larry Weinberg, Team founder-owner, 1970-88. Jersey is honorary, as #1 is still used by team players (currently guard Jarrett Jack).
• 13 Dave Twardzik, G, 1976-80
• 14 Lionel Hollins G, 1975-80 (number retired April 18, 2007)
• 15 Larry Steele, G, 1971-80
• 20 Maurice Lucas, F, 1976-80 & 1987-88 (number retired on November 4, 1988)
• 22 Clyde Drexler, G, 1983-95
• 32 Bill Walton, C, 1974-78
• 36 Lloyd Neal, C, 1972-79
• 45 Geoff Petrie, G, 1970-76
• 77 Dr. Jack Ramsay, Head Coach, 1976-86. Number selected in honor of 1976-77 season.

Drexler, Lucas, Petrie, Twardzik, and Walton are members of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. Also inducted into the Hall are the 1976-1977 team, and the following Trail Blazers' players:

• Danny Ainge (#9, G, 1990-92, also Oregon native)
• Steve Johnson (#33, C, 1986-1989, from Oregon State)
• Steve Jones (#23, G, 1975-76, from Portland and the University of Oregon)
• Jim Paxson (#4, G, 1980-87)

Other notable players for the team include the following:

• Rick Adelman
• Danny Ainge
• Billy Ray Bates
• Sam Bowie
• Kevin Duckworth
• Brian Grant
• Lionel Hollins
• Jerome Kersey
• Lafayette Lever
• Calvin Natt
• Jim Paxson
• Geoff Petrie
• Drazen Petrovic
• Scottie Pippen
• Terry Porter

• Zach Randolph
• Cliff Robinson
• Arvydas Sabonis
• Detlef Schrempf
• Steve Smith
• Damon Stoudamire
• Rod Strickland
• Mychal Thompson
• Darnell Valentine
• Kiki Vandeweghe
• Rasheed Wallace
• Bonzi Wells
• Sidney Wicks
• Buck Williams

Owernserhip and management

Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen

The team is current owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. It is owned through a subsidiary company, Vulcan Sports and Entertainment, the president of which is Tod Leiweke. The president of the Trail Blazers is Larry Miller. The chief operating officer of the team is Mike Golub, and the team's general manager is Kevin Pritchard.

Prior to 1988, the team was owned by a group of investors headed by Larry Weinberg. Notable former team executives include Steve Patterson, John Nash, Bob Whitsitt, Bucky Buckwalter, Stu Inman, Geoff Petrie, and Harry Glickman.

Coaching staff

The current head coach of the Trail Blazers is Nate McMillan. Assistant Coaches include Dean Demopoulos (Lead Assistant Coach), Bill Bayno, Maurice Lucas, and Monty Williams. The training and conditining staff includes Geoff Clark (Assistant Athletic Trainer/Equipment Manager), Jay Jensen (Head Athletic Trainer), Bob Medina, (Strength & Conditioning Coach), and Bradley Weinrich (Director of Basketball Operations)

Two former Blazer coaches are in the Hall of Fame for their coaching career:

• Dr. Jack Ramsay. Coached the team to their only NBA title in 1997.
• Lenny Wilkens. Coached the team from 1974 through 1976; in 1974 served as player-coach, the only Trail Blazer to do so.

Two other coaches, Mike Schuler in 1987 and Mike Dunleavy in 1999, have won NBA Coach of the Year awards.

The complete list of Trail Blazers' head coaches, and the time of their tenures, is as follows:

• Rolland Todd, 1970-1972
• Stu Inman 1972 (interim)
• Jack McCloskey, 1972-1974
• Lenny Wilkens, 1974-1976
• Dr. Jack Ramsay, 1976-1986
• Mike Schuler, 1986-1989
• Rick Adelman, 1989 (interim), 1989-1994
• P. J. Carlesimo, 1994-1997
• Mike Dunleavy, 1997-2001
• Maurice Cheeks, 2001-2005
• Kevin Pritchard 2005 (interim)
• Nate McMillan 2005-present

Among Trail Blazers' assistants who have served as head coaches elsewhere in the NBA are Dick Harter, Mike D'Antoni, Bill Musselman and Rick Carlisle. Two former UNLV men's basketball coaches, Bill Bayno and Tim Grgurich, have served on the Blazers' coaching staff.

Fanbase and community relations

Blazermania

Trail Blazers attendance figures, 1970-2007

Year	Total	Average	Notes
1970-71	245,383	6,135	Inaugural season
1971-72	279,506	6,988
1972-73	333,480	8,134
1973-74	327,495	7,988
1974-75	441,506	10,768	First season with Bill Walton
1975-76	413,992	10,097
1976-77	499,302	12,178	Won NBA title. Sellout streak starts
1977-78	519,306	12,666
1978-79	519,306	12,666
1979-80	519,306	12,666
1980-81	519,306	12,666
1981-82	519,306	12,666
1982-83	519,306	12,666
1983-84	519,306	12,666
1984-85	519,306	12,666
1985-86	519,306	12,666
1986-87	519,306	12,666
1987-88	519,306	12,666
1988-89	527,008	12,854	Seating added to Memorial Coliseum
1989-90	528,244	12,884	Advanced to NBA Finals
1990-91	528,244	12,884	Won Pacific Division
1991-92	528,408	12,888	Advanced to NBA Finals
1992-93	528,408	12,888
1993-94	528,408
1994-95	529,759
1995-96	850,338	20,740	First season in Rose Garden; Sellout streak ends
1996-97	852,799	20,800
1997-98	843,647	20,577
1998-99	486,556	19,462	Lockout-shortened season; Advance to Western Finals
1999-00	835,078	20,368	Advance to Western Finals
2000-01	831,376	20,277
2001-02	797,821	19,459
2002-03	796,258	19,421
2003-04	684,038	16,684	No playoffs
2004-05	680,374	16,594	No playoffs; RG Bankruptcy filed
2005-06	617,199	15,053	No playoffs; NBA's worst record (21-61)
2006-07	670,778	16,360	No playoffs

The relationship between the team and its fans, commonly known as "Blazermania", has been well-chronicled. Prior to the 1976-77 season, the team didn't draw many spectators or attention, and never posted a winning season or advanced to the NBA playoffs. Interest in the team started to increase when the team drafted UCLA center Bill Walton in 1974. Blazermania started during the 1976-1977 season, when the team would post its first winning record, make its first playoff appearnce—and capture its only NBA title, defeating the heavily-favored Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals; the team has been wildly popular in Portland since that time. The enthusiastic support for the team continued for nearly thirty years, and included the 18-year sellout streak, two more trips to the Finals, and 21 straight playoff appearances.

Attendance started to wane in the 2000s, as the team started to suffer image problems due to the "Jail Blazer" reputation it had gained. When the team's on-court performance took a nose-dive in the 2003-2004 season, so did attendance. The Rose Garden arena bankruptcy took a further toll on attendance, and the team posted two straight seasons with less than thirty wins, including a 21-61 campaign in the 2005-06 season, the worst in the NBA. As of 2007, however, the Rose Garden is once again owned by Allen; the much-maligned team presidents Bob Whitsitt and his equally-unpopular successor, Steve Patterson, are both gone; and interest in the team has been rejuvinated by the selection of Greg Oden in the 2007 NBA Draft.

In-game entertainment

The team's mascot is Blaze the Trail Cat, a two-tone silver-colored mountain lion, which has been the team's official mascot since 2002. Prior to Blaze's debut, the Trail Blazers never had any official mascot. A popular unofficial mascot was Bill "The Beerman" Scott, a Seattle beer vendor/cheerleader who worked for numerous pro teams, including the Trail Blazers, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Seattle Mariners. Scott worked for the Trail Blazers from 1981 through 1985. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2001 and retired from professional cheerleading in 2003. He died in 2007.

The team also has a cheerleading/dance squad known as the BlazerDancers. Consisting of 12 members, the all-female BlazerDancers perform dance routines at home games. A junior dance team composed of 8–11 year old girls also performs at selected home games, as does a hip-hop dance troupe. Other regular in-game entertainment acts include an co-educational acrobatic stunt team which performs technically-difficult cheers, a break dancing squad, and a pair of percussion acts.

Television and radio broadcast

Like all NBA franchises, games of the Trail Blazers are routinely broadcast via television and radio. The team was one of the first in the NBA to produce its own television broadcasts,. The team's television production facility is known as Post-Up Productions. Television broadcast of Blazer games, when not carried on a national network, are broadcast in one of two forms:

• On the Blazers Television Network, a network of four over-the-air television stations located in Oregon. The flagship station of the network is KGW-TV in Portland.
• Via Comcast SportsNet, a cable channel.

For the 2007-2008 season, all but 6 regular season games are to be carried on one these networks; the other six are to be broadcast nationally on TNT. Thirty-four games are to be produced and broadcast in HDTV.

Radio broadcast of the team's games are carried on the Trail Blazers radio network, a network consisting of 25 stations located in the Pacific Northwest. The flagship station of the Blazers' radion network is KXL (AM 750), a Portland news/talk station owned by Paul Allen. All Trail Blazer games are broadcast over the radio. Radio broadcasts of games are preceded by a pre-game analysis show, Blazers Courtside, and followed by a post-game show known as The 5th Quarter.

Personalities

The current media personalities for the Trail Blazers include television play-by-play announcer Mike Barrett and analyst Mike Rice. Tony Luftman serves as studio host; Rebecca Haarlow as sideline reporter, and former Trail Blazers' player Michael Holton is studio analyst. The radio broadcasting team consists of play-by-play announcer Brian Wheeler and analyst Antonio Harvey. The team is also known for its long association with Steve "Snapper" Jones, who played for the team prior to his career as a television analyst; Jones departed the franchise in 2005

The radio broadcasting team consists of play-by-play announcer Brian Wheeler, analyst Antonio Harvey, and studio host Jay Allen. The original radio announcer for the team was Bill Schonely, who served as the team's radio play-by-play announcer from 1970 until his retirement in 1998, and who remains with the team in a community ambassador role,

Criticism

Trail Blazers broadcasts have been criticized on several fronts. The broadcast personalities, all of whom are Trail Blazers employees, have been criticized in the media for being "homers"; further it has been alleged that the 2005 departure of Steve Jones was due in part to team displeasure with Jones' sometimes frank analysis of the team's on-court performance and off-court decisions. A television deal signed with Comcast SportsNet in 2007 has also been criticized for not ensuring access to Blazer games via satellite television providers such as DirecTv and Dish Network, both of which compete with Comcast's cable television operations.

External links

• Official website