Despite notching just one more win since we last checked in, the Portland Trail Blazers have taken a huge leap in this week’s rankings. That win, coming in a close game against the third-in-the-West Grizzlies in Memphis punctuated a four-game win streak for Portland that has come as a pleasant surprise after the Trail Blazers traded their second and third leading scorers ahead of the deadline. The current win streak marks the first time since mid-November and just the second time on the season that the Trail Blazers have won four straight games.
Portland’s momentum will be challenged coming out of the All-Star break with a six-game stretch against teams currently over .