SB Nation Reacts: Trail Blazer Fans More Confident Approaching NBA Playoffs

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Portland Trail Blazers fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.

After the Portland Trail Blazers hit rock bottom in fan confidence in late April, the team has made a strong comeback, with almost 87 percent of fans registering faith in the way the Blazers are performing according to the most recent SB Nation Reacts survey. That’s up from 37 percent last week and 17 percent two weeks ago. Suffice it to say, the recent streak of wins is a likely culprit of the reemergence of confidence in Portland. The Blazers won five games in a row, including key victories over the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz, before falling to the Phoenix Suns. The Blazers face the Denver Nuggets at home on Sunday.

As the playoffs approach, the biggest surprise of the season is likely the success of the New York Knicks. For the first time since 2013, the Knicks have reached the postseason and they did so without a true superstar leading the team.

In place of a superstar, the team is led on the court by Julius Randle and head coach Tom Thibodeau, both of whom fans believe will finish the season with an individual award. 69 percent of fans around the league believe Randle should win the 2020-21 Most Improved Player award. The next closest player, Michael Porter Jr., received 11 percent of the vote.

50 percent of national fans believe Thibodeau has earned the Coach of the Year award this season due to turning the Knicks around. Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams took 23 percent.

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