The Portland Trail Blazers hold a surprisingly good, or at least close to .500, 3-5 record over the first three weeks of the 2024-25 NBA season. That’s got them inching upwards in some, but not all, of today’s NBA power rankings. Firmly ensconced at the bottom of the ladder to start the season, the Blazers are at least getting some mention in better-than-derogatory terms.
The biggest jump this week came in the New York Times rankings, where Portland now sits at 22 out of 30 teams, up from 27 last week. Of the Blazers, the Times says:
Two of Portland’s wins have come against the Pelicans, but credit is due to the Blazers for competing early.