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Portland Trail Blazers Fall Back In NBA Power Rankings

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One step forward, one step back. After a 4-0 week two weeks ago, the Portland Trail Blazers went 0-2 last week, with losses to the Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics. That cost Portland some ground in the various NBA Power Rankings and even bumped them out of the Western Conference playoffs in one of the prediction models. Marc Stein: Blazers drop from No. 10 to No. 11 John Schuhmann: Blazers hold steady at No. 13 John Hollinger: Blazers drop from No. 12 to No. 17 David Aldridge: Blazers drop from No. 9 to No. 10 Jeff Sagarin: Blazers drop from No. 13 to No. 15 According to Hollinger's team stats: Portland remained at 15th in offensive efficiency, improved from 15th to 14th in defensive efficiency, remained at 12th in rebound rate and is now tied for the second slowest team in the NBA when it comes to pace. Over at Basketball-Reference.com, their playoff forecast has the Blazers in the Western Conference's No. 8 seed, now with a 53.1% chance of making the playoffs (down from 71.0% last week). The Memphis Grizzlies (37.7%) and Houston Rockets (14.7%) are Portland's competition for the No. 8 seed. Hollinger's Playoff Odds now have the Blazers in the No. 9 spot, with a 43.8% chance to make the playoffs (down from the No. 8 seed and 65.8% last week). The Grizzlies (52.3%) moved into the No. 8 seed and the Rockets (30.3%) are in the No. 10 spot. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter