When Bill Walton played for the Trail Blazers, fans would leave offerings on the porch of his home in Northwest Portland and line the path of his game-day bike rides through the city and across the river to cheer on the Hall of Famer.
Not much has changed since that championship season of 1976-77 as Portland is still regarded as having one of the NBA’s best fan bases and one of the league’s top home-court advantages.
“The fans always treated me nicer than I ever deserved,” Walton said in a Friday phone interview.