It seemed like the Trail Blazers might be primed for a bit of a run to start the New Year after going 4-1 over the course of a five-game homestand. But after winning four-straight, Portland suffered back-to-back road losses to the Nuggets and Kings, which didn't completely scuttle the momentum they seemed to be building, but it certainly didn't quiet concerns that they're a team incapable of beating the best teams in the Western Conference, especially on the road. At the end of the day, a win is a win, but getting fat on teams from the Eastern Conference isn't going to impress those skeptical of Portland's viability as a contender in the West after being swept by the Pelicans in the 2018 Playoffs despite being the higher-seeded team.
The Trail Blazers have two games at home this week -- one against a Cavaliers team with the worst record in the NBA and the other against the team that unceremoniously bounced Portland from the most recent postseason -- before hitting the road for a three-game trip versus the Thunder, Jazz and Suns. Picking up the home games and then besting at least one of their Northwest Division rivals on the road would go a long way toward changing the conversation about the 2018-19 Trail Blazers, just as failing to do so would only increase the calls for changes.
Onto this week's rankings...
• The panel of voters at ESPN has the Trail Blazers at No. 11 this week, one spot better than last week...
ESPN has the Trail Blazers behind the 76ers at No. 10 and ahead of the Jazz at No. 12.
• John Schuhmann of NBA.com has the Trail Blazers at No. 9 this week, one spot better than last week...
Schuhmann has the Trail Blazers behind the Thunder at No. 8 and ahead of the Celtics at No. 10.
• Reid Forgrave at CBSSports.com has the Trail Blazers at No. 11 this week, one spot better than last week...
Forgrave has the Trail Blazers behind the Thunder at No. 10 and ahead of the Jazz at No. 12.
• Tommy Beer at Rotoworld.com has the Trail Blazers at No. 11 this week, one spot better than last week...
Beer has the Trail Blazers behind the 76ers at No. 10 and ahead of the Jazz at No. 12.
• Gerald Bourguet at HoopsHabit.com has the Trail Blazers at No. 8 this week, one spot better than last week...
Bourguet has the Trail Blazers behind the Thunder at No. 7 and ahead of the 76ers at No. 9.
• Zach Harper at The Athletic has the Trail Blazers at No. 10 this week, two spots better than last week...
Harper has the Trail Blazers behind the 76ers at No. 9 and ahead of the Spurs at No. 11.
• Brad Rowland at UPPROXX, who already has Portland's last two losses baked into this rankings, has Portland at No. 13 this week, two spots worse than last week...
Rowland has the Trail Blazers behind the Kings at No. 12 and ahead of the Timberwolves at No. 14.
• Khadrice Rollins at at SI.com has the Trail Blazers at No. 6 this week, five spots better than last week...
Rollins has the Trail Blazers behind the Pacers at No. 5 and ahead of the Rockets at No. 7.