Blazer's Edge

On this week's Blazer's Edge podcast, Tara and Danny take a look at Portland's last 2 victories, break down Damian Lillard's last 6 games and month of February, discuss where Lillard ranks in today's top flight players, Jusuf Nurkic's steady contributions, how to keep Nurkic motivated each night, the Northwest Division being wide open & more! Intro Tara's trip to Utah Thoughts on the Jazz Reviewing the Portland v Utah game Maurice Harkless revival tour Damian Lillard is awesome Seriously, Damian Lillard is REALLY good Damian Lillard's past 5 games are the best series of games from a Blazer... ever What's changed that has allowed Lillard to go off? Is Damian Lillard a Top 10 player right now? The difference between a star and a superstar player Appreciating how good Dame is right now Dictating the pace/style of the game Where mental aptitude reaches physical maturity- peak Lillard The glory of a point guard put-back dunk Why doesn't Dame get triple doubles Always bring your laptop to dinner Jusuf Nurkic feedin

On this week's Blazer's Edge podcast Tara and Dan discuss the Trail Blazers v. Warriors game on Valentine's Day then ask a series of questions they've been kicking around this week: Will the Blazers regret passing on Donovan Mitchell, which Blazers would be the best Winter Olympians, the value of CJ McCollum and more! Intro Winter Olympic Hunger Games Blazers most likely to be Winter Olympians Ed Davis in a bobsled Meyers Leonard as a curling champion Ice skating analytics Revisiting the Warriors v Blazers Reminder, Damian Lillard is REALLY good Dame for Player of the Month Was that game more about the Warriors or the Blazers Looking at the All Star game Dennis Smith Jr was robbed Donovan Mitchell is a complete monster Utah Jazz after the break The Jazz mirror the Blazers from a few years ago Will the Blazers regret passing on Mitchell Drafting Mitchell, trading CJ and rebuilding on the fly Would Mitchell have had the opportunity to blossom here Who does he remind you of Early returns on Collins v Mitchell Th

Join Tara and Kendyl for the latest Women’s Hoops and Talks (W.H.A.T.) podcast. They start off by talking about Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum who each scored 50 points in less than 30 minutes within 10 days of each other. Kendyl has been in Los Angeles and had an inside look at Laker Nation’s reaction to a wild trade deadline.   Then they talk to Ashley Williams, freelance sports reporter whose work has been featured on USA Today High School Sports as well as on SB Nation sites Blazer’s Edge and Swish Appeal. Ashley has covered the Nike Hoop Summit and Les Schwab Invitational Tournament for the last several years and has had the opportunity to talk to many players who went on to the NBA. She talks about what is unique about talking to these young men before they make it to the big time.  0:34 Damain Lillard and C.J. McCollum both score 50 points in less than 30 minutes within 10 days of each other. They are the first to do that within 10 days of each other since Larry Bird and Kevin McHale i

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Dan and Tara take a look at what it would cost the Trail Blazers to acquire DeAndre Jordan, how could/would the Blazers utilize him, does it make sense to go in now, reviewing the last week of play, CJ McCollum's 50 point game, the City jerseys debut, what having a stable of 6'7" wings can do for a team and more! - Intro -January review - Rip City plaid, reviews - Early week good, end of week never happened - Damian Lillard vs the Raptors - Why do the Blazers fall short vs Toronto - What can you take from that game - Which would you rather have, more offense or more defense - Good Harkless makes an appearance - When all else is equal, size matters - Where there's smoke, there's... smoke - Recalling Wade Baldin and Caleb Swanigan, does it matter - What's the reality for an NBA player that's on the block - Trading for DeAndre Jordan - What would a deal for Jordan look like - Is it worth it for the Blazers to sacrifice Nurkic's potential for Jordan - Understand

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Tara and Dan take a look at the resurgent Blazers offense, what led to it, is it sustainable, the arrival of MVP Damian Lillard, Ed Davis rises from last year's ashes, calling the Blazers  "The Zers" and more! Intro Routine vs. Rest Food in Dallas Ranking Texas NBA arenas Having rest before the All Star break is a good thing, right? Things looking more natural and fun Opening the playbook with chemistry How do you build familiarity on the floor? Evaluating Portland's offense Tara hates Bunnies Why is the offense playing better? Can the offense be sustained? MVP level Damian Lillard CJ McCollum rounding into form The rotations are getting locked down Dame & CJ are still the key- when they're rolling the team is rolling Role players ... playing roles Yes, Ed Davis is really good and really valuable Ed Davis, let me shower you with praise Listener questions- everything ball movement Understanding relevant and purposeful ball movement It's not about how many pas

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast, Corbin Smith of Willamette Week/Vice Sports fame joins the show with Tara and Danny to expand on his most recent project; revisiting the Jail Blazers era and how it was covered by local media,  hating LaMarcus Aldridge (still), will Lillard make the All-Star team, the Blazer's most improved player award, Evan Turner's worth, tribute videos and more! - Looking back at the Jail Blazers - Reviewing how the era was looked at - Portland media members review their thoughts - The judgment game - rating takes and answers - Will Lillard make the all-star team - Most likely to be traded from "Olshey's guys" - Hawks player you would most like in Portland (Hawks fire sale) - Most improved Blazer - How much of his contract is Evan Turner earning - What's the over/under on technical fouls/ejections in the POR v DEN game - What former Blazer still in the NBA deserves a tribute video Donate Tickets to Blazer’s Edge Night to help 2000+ underprivileged kids see the Blazers

Tara and Kendyl share their own All Star picks and reflect on the players who were selected. Then they welcome Jannelle Moore, who writes about the Golden State Warriors for Blue Man Hoops and Golden State of Mind. You can find her weekly column, Towns Finest, on Sunday’s at Blue Man Hoop. We talked to her about how the Warriors have developed over several years and what stars Like Steph and Draymond had to improve individually before they became a super team. If you like what you heard you can find more episodes of the WHAT podcast in the Blazer’s Edge podcast feed. Head over to Stitcher, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to Blazer’s Edge, you’ll get all the weekly Blazer’s Edge podcasts plus every other week we’ll bring you another episode of Women’s Hoops And Talks and you’ll get to know even more women who are doing awesome things in basketball. Follow Blazer’s Edge on Twitter @blazersedge, WHAT Pod @HoopsAndTalks, Tara @tcbbiggs, and Kendyl @kendylbennett16. Jannelle can b

On a special edition of the Blazer's Edge podcast- Caitlin Cooper of Indy Cornrows joins Tara and Dan to preview the match up with the Indiana Pacers AKA "Blazers East." With Nate McMillan & Kevin Pritchard running the show how have they taken the Blazers framework and built a contender, the emergence of Victor Oladipo, the growth of Myles Turner, Baby Sabonis and the twin towers and the outlook for the Pacers vs the Blazers over the next few years.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s episode of the Blazer’s Edge podcast,Blazer’s super fan and actor Kelly AuCoin from Showtime’s “Billions”, FX’s “The Americans” and many more projects join Tara and Dan to talk about the state of the team, ranking eras, a Blazers Mt. Rushmore, how Kelly became a fan, Pat Connaughton’s terrible movie taste, adjusting expectations, the other Dame in his life and more! IntroRamblin’ RodPat Connaughton reveals he’s not perfectKelly outlines how he became a fanExpectations after an early titleBill Walton and a copy of Sports IllustratedWhere do you rate Damian LillardBlazers Mt RushmoreThe pursuit of excellenceThe star named Dame in his lifeEvaluating the current state of the teamRooting interest, chemistry and finding the right fitEvolution of Al-Farouq Aminu’s gameUnderstanding Jusuf Nurkic from afarKelly endorses angry NurkEvaluating the rookies, Caleb Swanigan and Zach CollinsInspirational speeches from “Wags” for CollinsTaking a look at what Portland could do in the coming weeksHas Napier playe

On this week’s episode of the Blazer’s Edge podcast Tara Bowen-Biggs and Dan Marang run down the Blazers recent run of play, discuss the emergence of Shabazz Napier and Pat Connaughton, Damian Lillard’s absence, Nikola Mirotic and DeAndre Jordan on the trade block, and why NBA players shouldn’t be friends on the court. That and more on this week’s Blazer’s Edge podcast! Intro Things to build on over the past week Reviewing the past week Can we count on players outside Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum Evan Turner fitting in Pat Connaughton and Maurice Harkless getting to the basket Getting the most out the other guys Nurkic fever making a return Equal opportunity offense The Blazer's defense is for real- that's fun Why won't Nurkic dunk on everyone Understanding how good Nurkic's footwork and why he's so frustrating Lillard and teammates rise for the Stotts banner Style points are back- why the Hawks game was more than just a regular win Trade Deadline- Nikola Mirotic What will Mirotic cost Portland Should the B

Some people say the NBA season doesn’t really start until Christmas. Well, we disagree. On this episode of the WHAT Pod, Tara and Kendyl talk about all the fun, exciting, and unexpected things that happened the first 10 weeks of the NBA season. We can’t imagine waiting until Christmas to watch the NBA, but just in case YOU did, we’ve picked out all our favorite highlights around the Association. 2:00 Big game, big injury: Cavs vs Celtics and Gordon Hayward goes down, impressive performances by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. 5:00 Injury bug bites early7:23 Eric Bledsoe’s Tweet heard around the league10:50 Early Coach firings, Earl Watson and David Fizdale12:58 Surprisingly fast starts and what we think about the East vs West so far15:43 Raptors on the rise (Dwayne Casey on The Lowe Post) 19:30 Outstanding rookies and LeBron’s active interest in the young players24:28 Will LeBron be NBA Commissioner some day?26:40 Rundown of some statistical highlights (via Basketball Reference) and Is this LeBron’s best year?

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Tara Bowen-Biggs and Dan Marang break down the miraculous comeback versus the Philadelphia 76ers and the absolute dumpster fire that was the match up with the league-worst Atlanta Hawks - what happened, what went right and/or wrong, what does it mean going forward, breaking Jusuf Nurkic's nose before every game, the rise of Shabazz Napier and whether or not Coach Stotts is to blame for the up and down play. Intro Damian Lillard taking every game off he needs to get healthy Outlining the comeback vs the 76ers Napier, Nurkic, McCollum and a free throw bonanza Mad Nurkic vs Sad Nurkic Dan's rant on officiating, what's wrong with it and how to fix it going forward Blazers take another team lightly and pick up their worst loss of the year Where does the blame fall? Coach, player(s), GM, ownership, etc What has Coach Stotts done for this team, and how good is he as a coach Getting the most out of players Why the issues with the team don't fall at Stotts' feet Why

It's a Christmas miracle! On this week's episode James Holas AKA @snottiedrippen and Chris Axmann @AlmightyBallin, head of ABPNRadio join Tara and Dan to talk Damian Lillard's Los Angeles attire, Coach Stotts on the hot seat, Dwight Howard in Portland, Shabazz Napier as the best Blazers bench player in years, and what to make of Jusuf Nurkic's rough start. That and more on this week's Blazer's Edge podcast! Intro Damian Lillard's heat check outfit Jusuf Nurkic's impact this season What's happening with Nurkic's up and down play Tweeting and recording at the same time Is Coach Stotts on the hot seat Nurkic's offense falling off Zach Collins' impact early on James shares his true feelings on Evan Turner How much are the Blazers missing Crabbe Shouts to Pat Connaughton Trade season is upon us What deals should Portland look at Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan, and Marc Gasol- oh my Would Dwight Howard fit in Portland Is Portland allowed to trade with the Orlando Magic DeAndre Jordan - would he fit in Portland Chris

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Tara and Dan try to figure out what a good win really is. Is there such a thing as a bad win? From a 4-1 road trip to a 5 game losing streak and the chance to go on another 4-1 road trip. The ups, downs and everything in between of this Blazers season has finally managed to render Dan speechless... at least for a moment. Attempting to break down the Charlotte Hornets game Reacting to Coach Stotts' rotation changes What do you think of Evan Turner being in the starting rotation Using Turner's strengths alongside CJ McCollum/Damian Lillard How good has Aminu been for the Blazers What makes a a good 3 and D player Has Aminu reached that level where he brings it on both sides Can the Blazers continue to play with fire and not get burned in the long run Initial thoughts on Zach Collins in the starting lineup How confident has he looked to you Why is Collins getting the nod over other guys We still don't know what this team's identity is Trade season is open what

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Coach Dave DuFour is here to talk Blazer's identity, his conversion on Meyers Leonard, Portland's offensive struggles, why adults shouldn't wear jerseys, answers Team Mom's letter and more! Team Mom's letter Why adults shouldn't wear jerseys Portland vs Houston Showdown between Damian Lillard and James Harden Do the Blazers miss Allen Crabbe Should Meyers Leonard be on the floor How do the Blazers answer small ball lineups Understanding what a dribble hand off/DHO is Evan Turner and Maurice Harkless on the floor at the same time, this is a problem How do the Blazers compensate for non shooters on the floor You can't be on the floor if you're a net negative offensively The Blazers are missing wide open threes, a lot Looking at the Blazers by the numbers Where the Blazers are good, they're very good Where the Blazers are bad, they're very bad What is the Blazer's identity How do you feel about the Blazers right now Dead last in assists, can that be fixed Hot t

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast  the discussion centers around something no on saw coming this year- where has all the offense gone? Tara and Dan discuss the 4-1 road trip, back to back home losses, CJ McCollum's slump, Meyers Leonard's return to the spotlight and more. Reviewing the 4-1 road trip Damian Lillard finds his jumpshot Milwaukee Bucks - why are they such a problem for the Blazers? Death by Rajon Rondo and Tony Allen jumpers...seriously Blazers looking past the Pelicans sans Anthony Davis It's gotta be the shoes right? CJ McCollum, the best midrange shooter in the league? Working Al-Farouq Aminu and Meyers Leonard into the lineup Leonard vs Boogie - the series continues! Shabazzle-Dazzle continues to shine Dame and CJ and the myth of a pure point guard Lillard ISO vs Harden ISO More lobs for Pat Connaughton please Nurkic "life comes out you fast" When the Blazers commit, their defense is for real McCollum's recent shooting slump- what is it? How can the Blazers compensate when

Ben Golliver from SI.com and Blazer's Edge Alumnus drops by and gives us the deep dive on everything Jusuf Nurkic after sitting with the Bosnian Beast earlier this season. From how hate mail and trade grades serve as great motivating tools for story writing, to why Jusuf Nurkic is like an actual bull. Ben breaks down the almost superhero-esque origin story of the younger Nurkic, the parallels between his early career growth and his time in Portland as a Trail Blazer and ties it together with his projections for Nurkic's growth. Along the way we discuss Nurkic's relationship with Damian Lillard, Nurkic's respect and admiration for Coach Stotts and ultimately what could the Blazers be looking at this summer when it comes to resigning Nurkic. That and more on this week's episode! What made you want to do a story about Jusuf Nurkic? What did you learn about Nurkic that you didn’t already know? What got left left on the cutting room floor? What does he think is the future of centers in the NBA? Is Nurkic ready fo

On Ep 2 of Women’s Hops And Talks (W.H.A.T.) Podcast,Tara and Kendyl talk with Associated Press reporter Anne Peterson whose beat has included the Portland Trail Blazers since 2002. We hear about her early days in the Bay Area, her first call to meet Arvydas Sabonis when she got to Portland, covering soccer and volleyball at the Olympic games and many tales of her interactions with some of the most notorious Blazers. How to write a story about Rasheed when he wouldn’t talk to the pressA special bond with Sebastian TelfairHer one regret about Ruben PattersonTrying to keep track of Zach Randolph and Damon Stoudemeir We also hear about what it was like to cover more recent Trail Blazers like Brandon Roy and Greg Oden. Follow Tara @tcbbiggs, Kendyl @kendylbennett16, Anne @AnnieMPeterson and of course @blazersedge on Twitter. Subscribe to the Blazer's Edge Podcast via iTunes and now Google Play.We are part of the Almighty Baller Radio Network. Check out our podcast and all the other NBA podcasts at almightyballe

On this week's episode CBS Sports' Matt Moore (otherwise known as @HPBasketball, drops in to give us the national perspective. That's right, "The national media are coming! The national media are coming!" Matt breaks down the view from outside Portland's bubble on Terry Stotts, Neil Olshey and the current standing of the Trail Blazers, whether or not the Blazers defensive growth is both real and sustainable, what's inhibiting the offense, can the Blazers grow anymore with Lillard and McCollum and much, much more on this week's Blazer's Edge podcast! National perspective- How are Terry Stotts and Neil Olshey looked at right now? Do you think the Trail Blazers defense is for real? What has happened to the offense in its place? Age old question- can Dame/CJ lead a team beyond mediocrity Jusuf Nurkic- the good, the bad and the future The NW division looked like murder’s row heading in- has it lived up to expectations? Thoughts on the Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan Evan Turner and his radical change Follow us o

On this week's episode former professional basketball player and current Blazer's Edge Analyst (and resident big man) Brian Freeman joins us to on this episode where it's all about big men- specifically Jusuf Nurkic and what's transpired the past couple of games in the fourth quarter and what went wrong against the Brooklyn Nets. Brian and the crew break down team schemes, understanding what we know and don't know from a fan/media point of view, the effects of closed door meetings and more! 1:00 Introduction - Brian Freeman- former professional basketeer and resident bigman is our guest today!2:00 The Blazers identity - where is it4:00 Building the Blazers identity on both ends5:00 Breaking down the Nets game- what happened and why7:00 What's up with Nurkic and not closing out games8:30 Why hasn't Nurkic been on the floor11:00 Where did it gone wrong against the Nets14:00 That one bad play everyone is talking about, it's going to be the first thing they look at the next day17:00 Where did the Blazers go wrong