Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus crunched some point differential numbers and concluded that the Portland Trail Blazers crashed harder this season than any NBA team in the last five years. ------------------------------ Throughout the season, the Blazers and Sixers have been cosmically intertwined. For the season's first two months, they were the darlings of statistical analysts. A series of blowout wins over lesser foes helped both teams compile gaudy point differentials, but their inability to win close games kept their records from matching up with their numbers. Since then, both Portland and Philadelphia have crashed. ... The change in the Blazers' performance is the largest in the five seasons for which I have adjusted game-by-game ratings. In fact, prior to this season, just three teams (the 2009-10 Lakers, 2008-09 Celtics and 2007-08 Clippers) declined by more than five points per game. ------------------------------ -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter