Blazers Drop In Week 24 NBA Power Rankings

The Portland Trail Blazers dropped slightly in the latest round of NBA Power Rankings after an 0-3 week (Through Monday, when most Power Rankings go live) that included losses to the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets.

Last week, the Blazers mostly ranged from 19-22. This week, they placed from 20-23.

Note: A number of the power rankings didn't update this week, presumably because the end of the regular season is here.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com ranks the Blazers No. 22 (same as last week).

Forget the late-season skid. A Blazers rookie was not only healthy enough to run away with the ROY race but also to log more than 3,000 minutes. And Damian Lillard's 181 3-pointers, on top of all his other achievements, eclipsed Steph Curry's rookie record of 166. Promising season in Portland.

John Schuhmann of NBA.com ranks the Blazers No. 23 (down from No. 22 last week).

As Will Barton continues to show promise, the Blazers continue to lose. And now, because the Clippers and Warriors still have something to play for (and because Portland has lost 19 of its last 21 games in-conference), a season-ending, 13-game losing streak is almost a guarantee. The Eric Maynor trade looks like a good move, but more depth, especially on the frontline, is needed this summer.

Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk.com ranks the Blazers No. 21 (up from from No. 23 last week).

They have the Rookie of the Year in Damian Lillard. They have an All-Star in LaMarcus Aldridge. They have some good role players such as Nicolas Batum and Will Barton. If they get a real defensive center this team could make a big jump next season.

Matt Moore of CBSSports.com ranks the Blazers No. 21 (down from No. 19 last week).

The year wasn't as exciting as the fans thought it might be, but Damian Lillard made it all worth it.

John Hollinger (formerly) of ESPN.com ranks the Blazers No. 20 (same as last week).

According to Hollinger's team stats, the Blazers ranked...

• No. 13 (same as last week) in offensive efficiency
• No. 27 (down from No. 26 last week) in defensive efficiency
• No. 20 (down from No. 19 as last week) in rebound rate
• No. 18 (same as last week) in pace

Hollinger's Playoff odds: 0.0 percent (same as last week)

Basketball-Reference.com Playoff Forecast: 0.0 percent (same as last week)

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter