Turnovers, Shot Selection Dampen the Start of Portland’s Road Trip
Release Date: 11/12/2025
New Season Offers Opportunity For Blazers Out the Gate
Holy Backboard
In the 448th episode of the Holy Backboard Podcast, Dustin and Sage welcome special guest Ted Gold of the Golden Pod to preview the Portland Trail Blazers’ season opener against the Phoenix Suns and break down Portland’s 3–1 preseason performance. The crew examines the Blazers’ defensive struggles following a disappointing loss to the Golden State Warriors, including concerns about perimeter defense, roster depth, and Donovan Clingan’s effectiveness in certain matchups. With Robert Williams III and Jrue Holiday sidelined against Golden State, how much will Portland’s defense depend...
info_outline
Early Preseason Returns Look Promising
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage are back for the 447th episode of the Holy Backboard Podcast, breaking down the Portland Trail Blazers' undefeated 3–0 preseason start and what it means heading into the 2026–27 NBA season. The guys discuss how much stock to put into preseason results, Micah Nori's experimentation with different starting lineups, and the importance of building team chemistry quickly with a challenging early schedule and aspirations of winning 50-plus games. They also dive into Portland's roster decisions, including potential cuts and two-way contracts, while evaluating Micah Potter, Brandon...
info_outline
2026-27 Western Conference Preview
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage reunite for the 446th episode of Holy Backboard to preview the upcoming NBA season and rank the Western Conference from 1–15 based on projected regular-season finish. The guys factor in injuries, load management, roster construction, depth, and each team’s incentives heading into the season. They start at the bottom of the West, including Sacramento, before breaking down the outlooks for the Clippers, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Jazz, Mavericks, and Warriors. They debate whether the Suns can establish themselves as a solid playoff team, question the Lakers’ offseason moves and...
info_outline
Tough Schedule Exactly What Trail Blazers Need
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage return for the 445th episode of the Holy Backboard Podcast to break down the latest news surrounding the Portland Trail Blazers. They discuss the recent approval of $573 million in public funding for arena renovations and why the agreement provides more confidence that the Trail Blazers are staying in Portland for the long haul. The guys also look back at Summer League, including Yang’s development. While he showed flashes of being able to dominate lower-level competition, he remains a multi-year project who needs to improve his lateral movement, strength, rebounding, and...
info_outline
Blazers Blockbuster Lands Ja Morant in Rip City
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage jump on an emergency episode of the Holy Backboard Podcast after the stunning news that the Portland Trail Blazers have acquired 26-year-old All-NBA guard Ja Morant. The duo breaks down the reported trade that sends Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis, explaining why they view it as a "Moneyball" move to land a superstar talent at a bargain price. They discuss how Morant immediately addresses Portland's biggest weaknesses with his elite ballhandling, rim pressure, playmaking, and star power while weighing the risks surrounding his outside shooting and off-court history....
info_outline
Blazers Bring in Micah Nori as Head Coach
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage are back on the Holy Backboard Podcast to break down the Trail Blazers' offseason. They begin by honoring legendary former Blazers head coach Rick Adelman, reflecting on his impact in Portland, his success with the Kings and Rockets, and why his offensive philosophy was years ahead of its time. The conversation then shifts to Portland's hiring of former Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori. The duo discusses his coaching and scouting background, Minnesota's reputation for elite preparation and defensive game planning, and whether Nori's reported one-year guaranteed contract...
info_outline
Opportunities Missed as Offensive Drought Dooms Blazers … Twice
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage recap the 442nd Holy Backboard Podcast after the Trail Blazers squandered two home playoff chances against the Spurs, falling behind 3–1 and feeling the season is near its end. They break down Game 3’s 120–108 loss after leading 82–67 late in the third, criticizing late-game iso-heavy offense, lack of ball movement, turnovers, and poor rebounding, even without Wemby. They then cover Game 4’s 114–93 defeat despite a 58–41 halftime lead, highlighting a disastrous second half, defensive communication failures, and embarrassingly low scoring. They argue that...
info_outline
Scoot Shines in San Antonio
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage recap Game 2 immediately after Portland’s 106–103 comeback win in San Antonio to tie the series 1–1 heading to Portland for Games 3 and 4. They break down Victor Wembanyama leaving with a concussion after a Jrue Holiday play, discuss concussion protocol timelines, and note the impact of potentially losing him for multiple games. The hosts highlight Scoot Henderson’s game-high 31 points and his growing comfort hunting midrange looks, as well as the importance of late-game rebounding and limiting live-ball turnovers. They praise Robert Williams’ two-way impact, discuss...
info_outline
Victorious in the Valley, Previewing San Antonio
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage recap the Blazers’ 114–110 win over Phoenix in a high-stakes, Amazon Prime–only broadcast, criticizing the lack of local access while celebrating Deni Avdija’s dominant 41/12/7 performance and Portland’s late-game execution. They argue Portland didn’t deserve the win based on a sloppy, three-heavy start, but credit improved rhythm, clutch rim pressure from Deni and Shaedon, and key corner threes and a late strip from Jerami Grant. They highlight bench advantages (33 points vs Phoenix’s 17), defensive work on Devin Booker, and debate Tiago Splitter’s rotation...
info_outline
Previewing the Play-In Versus Phoenix
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage recap Portland’s two straight wins, a 116–97 victory over the Clippers and a 122–110 win over the Kings, noting the team’s composure, defense, and ball security in a high-leverage spot plus the return of Shaedon Sharpe. They discuss injury/availability expectations (likely everyone except Jerami Grant and Damian Lillard), debate keeping a tight eight-to-nine-man rotation, and highlight Scoot Henderson’s surge as a confident two-way guard. They break down Deni Avdija’s standout 35-point game and the importance of scoring through contact rather than hunting fouls,...
info_outline