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The Trail Blazers will not miss the playoffs this season.* In my opinion, that’s true for two primary reasons: 1) Damian Lillard and 2) Terry Stotts. Fittingly, Stotts moved into second place on the Blazers all-time wins list with tonight’s victory over the Golden State Warriors.
Congrats coach Terry Stotts!!!
— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) December 28, 2018
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In the post-game press conference Stotts was his ever-effusive self with praise for Rick Adelman.
Terry Stotts taking about copying stuff from Rick Adelman and wanting him to be in the Hall of Fame is cool as hell
— E. García Gundersen (@Erik_Gundersen) December 28, 2018
For seven seasons Stotts has been milking as many victories as possible out of overmatched rosters. By my estimation he’s one of only three coaches in franchise history that fans can be confident aren’t holding the team back; the other two are Rick Adelman and Jack Ramsay (apologies to Mike Schuler). The 2013-14 season stands out as a particular masterpiece.
FUN MEMORY: Stotts finishing 6th in the 2014 CotY voting despite Blazers making a 21-win jump to 54.
— Eric Griffith (@EricG_NBA) December 28, 2018
How surprising was that? In a 331-comment @blazersedge thread not a single reader picked more than 52 Ws. They beat the predictions of diehard fans!https://t.co/OctLgO48G4
*Insert obligatory “barring catastrophic injuries” disclaimer.