The Portland Trail Blazers’ season finale against the Sacramento Kings was perhaps the biggest formality in NBA history, an inevitable Portland loss from jump that stuck exactly to the script.
It’s odd to call a 121-82 loss a success for the Blazers, but that’s exactly what it was. In the pursuit of ping-pong ball dreams, mission accomplished. The loss, coupled with Sunday wins from the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs, dropped the Blazers into a two-way tie for the NBA’s third-worst record with the Hornets. The 39-point loss was also a fitting cherry on the top of a 21-61 season that was the only in NBA history to feature two losses by over 60 points.