The Portland Trail Blazers are about to approach Halloween with three games this week that will challenge their perfect record.
The Blazers have a lot of optimism, but there are also things that are scary about their future.
Some members of the Portland Trail Blazers On SI staff shared what they believe is the scariest part of the Blazers moving forward.
Too Much Competition
"The Blazers continue to feel like those young Memphis teams from a few years back that dominated the regular season, got a top two seed and flamed out quickly in the postseason. Portland is going to be a try-hard team for the next five months, and I could see them finishing higher in the standings than expected. But will they be able to beat a No. 7 seed Denver Nuggets team or a No. 6 Golden State Warriors? I don't think so, and then an early playoff exit could wipe out all the good of a strong regular season." — Austin White
The Blazers find themselves in a tough Western Conference. Their lack of time together as a full team could put them at a disadvantage compared to teams that have been fighting in the playoffs consistently over the past couple of years.
The Frontcourt Questions
"My biggest fear with the Blazers this season lies in the frontcourt. Ja and Dame form a high-ceiling pairing in the backcourt, but I'm nervous to see how Portland’s interior on both sides of the ball holds up against the deeper frontcourts that reside out West (Denver, San Antonio, OKC) over the course of 82 games." — Ethen Hutton
"The thing that scares me the most about the Blazers this season is their lack of frontcourt depth. If either Deni Avdija or Toumani Camara goes down, the Blazers will have to hope that Sidy Cissoko or Micah Potter can step up." — Rocco Moschella
The Blazers got beat in the first round of the playoffs last season against the San Antonio Spurs, who thrived in the frontcourt with Victor Wembanyama. Every great team in the West has a strong center or two, and that could come up as an issue later down the line.
The Egos
"This Blazers team is making a lot of sacrifices: Deni Avdija was the go-to guy last season and now has his usage cut. Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday were starting playoff games together and are now coming off the bench. I’m not entirely convinced that these things are sustainable for the entirety of the season. Winning solves everything until it doesn’t, and that's my fear for this Portland squad." — Sahal Arwo
Chemistry is good at the moment, but the fit could be questionable if the team starts to lose. The togetherness the Blazers have will ultimately determine how far they go, and if there's anyone who's not on board, it will show in the way they play.
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