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2026 Portland Trail Blazers Predictions with Best Bets and Odds to Win NBA Championship

by Spencer Toth - 10/13/2026

Portland Trail Blazers predictions Damian Lillard

The Trail Blazers are looking to emerge from their rebuild ready to contend in the Western Conference, and the expectations haven’t been this high in Portland in several seasons. They have a unique blend of aging stars and rising prospects ready for the new season, but could this be the year they win their first playoff series since 2019?

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Portland Trail Blazers Offseason Recap

The Portland Trail Blazers had a busy offseason as they looked to retool their roster after returning to the playoffs last year. Their high-profile move was landing Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Morant took the league by storm in his rookie season, winning Rookie of the Year, then went on to make two All-Star teams and receive MVP votes in two straight seasons before the age of 24. His explosiveness at the rim thanks to incredible athleticism made him a walking highlight reel, and it looked as though he was on track to become the next face of the NBA. However, things took a turn for the worse when off-court issues around him flashing guns on livestreams led to a suspension, then he immediately got hurt upon his return. Morant has only played 79 games across the last three seasons, and looked like a shadow of his former self when he was available to play. His stats dropped across the board, and Morant went from a legitimate game changer to an afterthought in Memphis. The Trail Blazers acquired his services for a relatively cheap price given his drop in trade value, making this a low-risk, high-reward gamble for Portland. 

The Trail Blazers also made a change behind the bench, hiring Micah Nori, their third coach in less than one calendar year. Nori has spent the last 17 years as an assistant coach in the NBA, and he now finally gets his crack at leading a franchise. He spent the last five years in Minnesota as the lead assistant under close friend Chris Finch, and there is no doubt he has the credentials to earn this opportunity. He is an offensive-minded coach who will look to improve the Trail Blazers 18th-ranked offense from last season. The talent is there in Portland, and it will be up to Nori to make the most of it. 

Finally, while these aren’t technically offseason moves, the Trail Blazers get a healthy Damian Lillard while they lose Shaedon Sharpe due to injury. Lillard missed the entirety of last year and has yet to make his triumphant return to Portland after spending the first ten years of his career with the franchise. The question remains as to whether or not the 36 year old can look like his old self, or if his Achilles tear will end up being the beginning of the end for Lillard. It was difficult for Lillard to practice and stay up to speed during his injury, but he continued to improve his deep ball, and could be even more lethal behind the arc than ever. Meanwhile, Sharpe tore his meniscus in August, and will miss most, if not all, of the season. Sharpe only played 50 games last year due to injury, but was a menace on the defensive end while pouring on 20.8 PPG on offense. His absence will be felt, but the Trail Blazers have enough depth to still put together a strong season. 

2026 Portland Trail Blazers Season Expectations

Portland made the playoffs last year and took the Nuggets to six games after finishing 12th or lower in the Western Conference the four previous seasons. The goal this year will be to take it a step further and potentially win a first round series and see how far they can go. The Trail Blazers have all the pieces they need to succeed, but clashing play styles and questions about roles could end up being the storyline this year. At guard, the Trail Blazers have Morant and Lillard listed as the starters, with potentially the best bench partnership in the league with Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson filling those roles. Holiday has proven he still has what it takes to dominate on the defensive end of the floor, while Henderson’s balanced game is only getting better as he enters the fourth year of his career. 

In the frontcourt, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan form a truly terrifying duo. Avdija made the first All-Star team of his career last season when he exploded for 24.2 PPG with 6.7 assists while his previous career highs were 16.9 PPG and 3.9 assists. His ability to not only score the basketball, but suddenly play facilitator transformed the Trail Blazers offense and was a big reason why they were able to dominate the bottom-half of the league. The one part of his game that is still missing is the deep ball. Avdija bumped up his three point rate to six attempts per game, but only sank 31.8% of those shots. He would prefer to hang closer to the hoop, but with Clingan at center who struggles to space the floor, Avdija was forced to make this part of his game for the benefit of the team. While Clingan’s lack of shooting pigeonholes the Trail Blazers offense, he more than makes up for it with his work on the glass. Clingan led the league with 4.5 offensive rebounds per game last year, and could be even better this time around. Nori will draw up plays that keep Clingan in the paint, and offensive rebounding has always been an emphasis of his throughout his coaching career. Clingan also was in the top five in total rebounds and blocks, turning back the clock as a traditional center in the modern NBA. 

The best ability in any sport is availability, and that will determine how far this team can go in the upcoming year. Avdija, Henderson, and Holiday all missed significant time last year, and new arrivals Lillard and Morant are not exactly epitomes of durability. If the Trail Blazers can stay healthy, their starting five is very talented and they have a surprisingly deep bench for a team that has struggled in recent seasons. The offense is there. The defense is there. The belief is there. But none of that will matter if a lengthy injury report stunts the Trail Blazers growth. 

2026 Portland Trail Blazers Schedule Breakdown

The Trail Blazers will be road warriors to start the year, as six of their first eight games and 12 of their first 17 are away from home. This is a fresh roster that will need time to build chemistry, but considering they are expected to be right in the middle of the play-in tournament positions, every win will count and they need to start hot to avoid playing catch-up later on. Due to Portland’s location in the Northwest of the country, the Trail Blazers have several long road trips and big homestands this year. They have six different road trips of at least four games, which means 29 of their 41 road games are played during a lengthy trip. This means they could be a streaky team with long winning and losing streaks, which is important to watch when potentially wagering on any in-season futures with this team. 

2026 Portland Trail Blazers Betting Odds

The Trail Blazers have a win total of 41.5 this year after finishing 42-40 last season. This puts them right in the middle of the play-in tournament at +125 odds to participate in the tournament, and -200 odds to make the playoffs. The odds imply Portland is more likely to finish in the fifth or sixth seed in the West rather than drop below the play-in tournament, but a deep playoff run is still unlikely. They have +275 odds to reach the second round, +3500 odds to win the West, and +8000 odds to win the NBA championship. 

In the NBA Cup, the Trail Blazers are in an interesting group with the Spurs, Lakers, Kings, and Warriors. They have +425 odds to finish on top of the group, right behind the Lakers at +400, while the Spurs are the odds-on favorites at -145. If they do prevail, Portland has +5000 odds to win the NBA Cup this season. 

2026 Portland Trail Blazers Season Predictions and Best Bets

The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to have a winning record this season, and that is a thought I can absolutely get behind. I expect Lillard to look like his former self in a Trail Blazers uniform, Morant to use a much-needed change in scenery to revitalize his career, and for Portland’s interior to dominate as they did last year. This team knows how to defend, and Nori as head coach will ensure they are a top-half team on both ends of the court. Their 41.5 win total is far more appealing than the -200 playoff odds, as it feels unlikely Portland will make the playoffs anyways if they have a losing record. We do get a bit of insurance in case they go 39-43 or something and sneak in via the play-in tournament, but they could just as easily go 43-39 and get bounced from the seventh or eighth seed. For the first bet, we will scoop up the over 41.5 wins. 

I always like to hunt for plus money with season-long bets, as we can tie up less cash for several months to still secure a sizable profit. For Portland, the 45+ wins at +175 and 50+ wins at +500 are both catching my eye. The Trail Blazers have the talent to go well above .500 this year, and it will all come down to if they can stay healthy. Rather than betting on Portland to pull off massive upsets in the playoffs against the league’s top teams, we can secure a juicy profit on them just doing their job in the regular season. The Western Conference has a few elite contenders, but the talent dropoff is dramatic after the top teams. If Portland can get off to a hot start with some road wins, both 45+ and 50+ wins will be within reach. 

Pick: Portland Trail Blazers Over 41.5 Wins -110

Top Pick: Portland Trail Blazers 45+ Wins +175

Pick: Portland Trail Blazers 50+ Wins +500

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