It’s been a long time since Portland claimed its last NBA Championship in 1977. Trail Blazers tickets last delivered a trip to the NBA Finals in 1992. The biggest question for the Portland Trailblazers coming into the season was their team defense. The return of Greg Oden to the lineup this season should bolster the defense and rebounding so look for the Trailblazers to go far this season. With an increase of 3,500 new full season ticket sales, the Blazers lead the league in new fans and this may well be the most exciting team in the NBA with Spanish phenom Rudy Fernandez, Brandon Roy, Steve Blake, LaMarcus Aldredge and Oden shoring up the center.
In the 1970/71 season, the Portland Trailblazers were one of three expansion teams to enter the NBA (Blazers, Cavaliers and Buffalo Braves) and would finish with a better record (29-53) then the other two teams. Forward Geoff Petrie would split Rookie of the Year honors with Boston Celtics Star Dave Cowens.
Petrie would continue to lead his team for a number of years and coaches were determined to surround the All Star Forward with talent and the next year drafted Sidney Wicks who went on to become Rookie of the Year in 71/72 season as the team still finished dead last in the league with an 18-64 record.
Petrie and Wicks would continue to entertain NBA Fans in Portland helping to sell 333,480 tickets in the 72/73 season while finishing the year a dismal 21-61. The 73/74 season was pretty much a copy of the season prior as the Blazers posted a 27-55 record but it would not be long that help would arrive in the form of a Big Red Head.
In an effort to get better low post play, the Blazers drafted 6’11” forward Bill Walton. Management was hoping the 3 time college Player of the Year would help to make an impact but the center was hampered by injuries for two seasons breaking his nose, foot, wrist and leg. It would not be until the 1976/77 season that Walton would play a significant amount of games (65) averaging 18 points and 14 rebounds and leading the Blazers to the NBA Championships going through the Bulls, Nuggets and the Lakers in route to defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2. The team would not return to the finals until 1990 but have yet to regain a championship.
