Welcome to the final installment of my favorite reporting moments from the Portland Trail Blazers season, a digital scrapbook of my first season on the job as the Blazer\u2019s Edge beat writer.<\/p>\n
As a reminder, \u201cfavorite\u201d doesn\u2019t necessarily mean \u201cpositive\u201d for the Blazers or even for me. Rather, the countdown is a list of the most interesting or memorable moments to be a part of over the 2024-25 campaign, spanning from September\u2019s Media Day to the Blazers\u2019 regular-season finale in April.<\/p>\n
The countdown of 15 moments has now reached its final two spots. Let\u2019s get to it!<\/p>\n
No. 2: Greg Oden\u2019s Rip City Return<\/p>\n
The best interview of the 2024-25 Trail Blazers season came from an unlikely source: 2007 No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden.<\/p>\n
As part of the organization\u2019s revitalized effort to stay connected with alumni, Oden returned to the Rose Garden (oops, I mean Moda Center) to watch Portland play against the Dallas Mavericks<\/a> on Dec. 28. It marked the 7-footer\u2019s first attendance at a Blazers game since his tenure with the franchise unceremoniously ended in 2012.<\/p>\n The guest-of-honor treatment included a wide-ranging pregame media availability session with a room of reporters. The 36-year-old Oden discussed what he\u2019s been up to since his playing days \u2014 a career in coaching, being a husband and a father, a masters degree from The Ohio State<\/a> University, and more. He also reflected on his time in Portland, the disappointment of injuries depriving him of his vast potential, and the years-long process to make peace with it all.<\/p>\n Despite that emotional, complex history, December\u2019s interview was full of levity. Oden was easy to smile. He was funny, keeping a healthy jokes-to-serious ratio. And he carried himself with a secure confidence, even as he broached difficult topics with vulnerability.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I\u2019m by myself, yes, [I think about the what-ifs], but I don\u2019t let that take up too much of my life and my thoughts because all I can control is what\u2019s going on right now,\u201d Oden said. \u201c… I love to think about what could\u2019ve happened, but all I can do is start building for what I want now.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Later that night, the arena jumbotron centered on Oden and his family sitting courtside. The crowd welcomed him back to Rip City with a warm reception of cheers and applause.<\/p>\n Oden\u2019s story was the most important one I got to tell this season<\/a>, dealing with universal themes of acceptance, purpose, and moving forward when life changes your path. It offers lessons and reflection in a way that goes beyond sports.<\/p>\n No. 1: 10 of 11<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t reach the movie-worthy heights of the Moneyball Oakland A\u2019s<\/a>. Or even the local lore of Portland\u2019s unlikely 13-game winning streak in 2007. But this year\u2019s Trail Blazers went on an impressive, out-of-nowhere streak. Between Jan. 19 and Feb. 6, Portland ripped off 10 wins in 11 games.<\/p>\n The hot stretch went on to become the defining moment of the season. It helped flip the outlook on what was crawling toward another abysmal year, helping the Blazers ultimately improve their win total by 15 games from the season before. It played a role in the decisions to extend the contracts of general manager Joe Cronin and head coach Chauncey Billups. And it lent hope to the foundation of size and defense the organization is building.<\/p>\n It all started with four (for the most part, kinda whatever) wins on the road. Then things really got rolling when the Blazers returned to the Moda Center for a long seven-game homestand. After an admirable tap-out against the OKC juggernaut<\/a>, the Blazers played their best basketball of the year in six straight wins: <\/p>\n They beat Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks, 125-112<\/a>; they mowed over the Orlando Magic in a chippy 119-90 bashing<\/a>; they made professional work of the Phoenix Suns, 127-108<\/a>; they outlasted the Suns again in a gritty 121-119 win in overtime<\/a>; they ran the Indiana Pacers out of the gym in the second half on their way to a 112-89 rout<\/a>; and then they wrapped it all up with a 108-102 win in crunch time against the Sacramento Kings<\/a>.<\/p>\n This was a team that had lost five games in a row leading up to Jan. 19. That had lost games by 45, 42 and 36 earlier that season and by margins of 62 and 60 in the year prior. That hadn\u2019t won more than three games in a row since October 2023.<\/p>\n Yet here they were, running teams out of town, throwing alley oops in transition, and hanging on for narrow wins. The stretch was defined by a defense that ranked No. 1 in the NBA over the span and hustle plays that featured second, third, and fourth efforts. The wins were also brought on by committee, featuring contributions from up and down the roster, veterans and young guys.<\/p>\n Those six games revitalized the energy and brought back some needed optimism. They got the Moda Center rocking in a way that grew from night to night. In press row, I found myself nodding my head in approval more frequently because of the newfound competency the team was showing. Following that entertaining win over the Pacers, fans exiting the concourse broke out a chant of \u201cLet\u2019s Go Blazers!\u201d I hadn\u2019t heard anything like that all season. To quote one fan in the Blazer\u2019s Edge comment section<\/a> after that win:<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t wait for the next blazers game! Haven\u2019t been able to say that for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n