The Portland Trail Blazers are 3-10 at the moment and are in the middle of a seven-game losing streak.
Let’s take a look at how power rankings across the internet have the Blazers ranked:
Jeff Zillgitt, USA Today Sports: No. 25 (previously No. 24)
Injuries to Anfernee Simons (out another 2-4 weeks after right thumb surgery) and rookie Scoot Henderson (sprained right ankle, bone bruise) keep Portland from growing.
John Schuhmann, NBA.com: No. 27 (previously No. 26)
The Blazers are chasing the Pistons (11 straight) and Spurs (eight straight), having lost seven straight games themselves. There have been some flashes of competence, but the last four losses have all come by double-digits, and their game against the Thunder on Sunday provided the second biggest margin of defeat for any team this season.
The defense (the one that’s ranked in the bottom five in each of the last four seasons) was in the top 10 … until the Thunder registered the highest effective field goal percentage (74.1%) for any team this season on Sunday.
The Blazers still have five games left on a stretch where they’re playing nine of 11 against teams that currently have winning records, with the lone exceptions being two games against the Jazz. The first (last Tuesday) was close until early in the fourth quarter and the second was Wednesday in Portland.
