With the Portland Trail Blazers’ schedule being released this week, it’s time to break down what they’ve got going on this year. Dissecting the slate at this juncture is a little too early, but there are some noteworthy things. At this point in the year, 80 games are locked in, with the remaining two contingent upon the “Emirates NBA Cup.” With Damian Lillard back in town (injured, but back), there are going to be some more winnable games for Portland on this season’s slate. This article will look at the good, bad, and everything else about the Trail Blazers’ 2025-26 schedule.
The Good
Ever since Dame’s departure, the Blazers have proven a blip on the national radar. Portland has only had one nationally televised game over the last two seasons, both of which were when he returned home.
Now that he’s back in the PDX, the Blazers have eight nationally televised games, which could prove pivotal in trying to re-establish themselves in the NBA. Even with Yang Hansen on the roster, Portland is getting love in the U.S.A. because of Lillard. Hansen’s impact will likely be killer overseas, but he’s not a household name yet.
The national games should allow Tom Dundon to showcase his swagger to the league.
Another benefit of the national games is that Portland only has one game on Amazon Prime. Seven out of their eight other matchups will be shown on Peacock/NB, meaning Blazers fans only need to buy one streaming service.
The Amazon Prime game is the day after Christmas, even the most ‘Fever Pitchesque’ fans might be ok missing this one.
Another aspect working in favor of Portland is its stretch to end the regular season. Seven out of their last ten games are at home, which could prove vital if the Blazers are in contention for the playoffs. Their previous matchup against the Sacramento Kings could have postseason implications.
The last thing working in favor of PDX is their “rest disadvantage” games. They only have nine of these matchups, which is favorable in comparison to most of the league. Twenty-one teams have more of these on their schedule.
The Bad
The worst thing about the Blazers’ schedule this year is their opening eight games. Portland played a lot better during the second half of the 2024-2 season, but they still finished 10 games under .500, so confidence may be lacking.
Some easy matchups early on could’ve helped this team, but the NBA said naw.
In the first eight contests of the year, PDX faces the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, L.A. Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and the L.A. Lakers twice. Their first eight matchups are against the Western Conference.
Their only reprieve is a game against the Utah Jazz, but even that’s a trip to Salt Lake City.
If the Blazers want to have a successful season, they’ll need to avoid starting 1-7. They could probably bounce back from a 2-6 mark, but they can’t completely crap the bed at the beginning.
The only two bad teams in the West are likely to be the New Orleans Pelicans and the Jazz mentioned above.
Hopefully, Jrue Holiday’s experience can help avoid this. It’s crucial because 16 of Portland’s first 20 matchups are against Western Conference foes.
According to Positive Residual, PDX has the second hardest schedule in the league.
Another negative, albeit not a major concern, is that the Blazers have a potential of four five-game road trips this season. The fourth is dependent on the “Emirates NBA Cup.”
The first is November 8th-16th. The other two are located pretty close to each other, in February and March.
Everything Else
Even though a potential of four five-game road trips seems daunting, Portland had a seven-gamer last year, which felt comparable to the San Antonio Spurs’ “Rodeo Roadtrip.”
It’s important to note that the Blazers have the second most airmiles of any team. But that’s normal playing in the Pacific Northwest.
PDX will have two five-game homestands themselves from December 22-29 and February 2-9. Which kinda makes up for the back-to-back road trips they have.
But not really, the NBA did the Blazers no favors this year. They have a tough front-loaded schedule. But if they survive the beginning, they can prove dangerous at the end.
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