Ranking the Trail Blazers Decades: The 2000’s

Since thePortland Trail Blazers该专营权成立于1970年，经历了许多起伏。本周，我们回顾了十年到十年的开拓者历史，每十年叙述和排名。我们从今天开始的十年开始，这是2000年代特许经营历史上最低的时刻。

Seasons:2000-01 through 2009-10

Key Players:拉希德·华莱士,Damon Stoudamire,Bonzi Wells,Zach Randolph, Lamarcus Aldridge,布兰登·罗伊（Brandon Roy）

Playoff Appearances:5

Playoff Series Victories:0

Best Record:54-28 (2008-09)

Worst Record:21-61 (2005-06)

The first six months of the 2000’s were kind to the Blazers. They reached the Western Conference Finals in the 2000 NBA Playoffs, fighting their way back from a 3-1 deficit before suffering an epic collapse in the fourth quarter of Game 7 against theLos Angeles Lakers。Portland remained decent over the following three years, making the playoffs, though never advancing past the first round. As the decade progressed, a slew of off-court (and sometimes on-court) incidents overshadowed the teams play. The once-proud franchise transformed into the national laughingstock widely known as the “Jail Blazers”.

Much has been written about thissad, strange period of Blazer basketball和its (mostly) unlikable角色铸件。随着不良的宣传，车队停止获胜。在2004年，他们自1982年以来第一次错过了季后赛，然后在2005 - 06年以21-61赛季的惨淡触手可及。那时，只有1971 - 72年开拓者才冒险如此之低，在球队的大二赛季中以18-64的成绩结束了以18-64的成绩。

The decade took a positive turn when the 2006 NBA Draft brought a new foundation of Lamarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy, who won the franchise’s first Rookie of the Year award since 1972. Positive momentum spiked hard when Portland won the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft Lottery, selecting Ohio State centerGreg Oden。That trio, surrounded by promising young players such asNicolas Batum和Rudy Fernandez, propelled the team over the 50-win plateau once more. As the decade closed, the Blazers returned to the playoffs twice.

在特许经营历史上，2000年代最终将陷入困境。任何运动中很少有球队像开拓者那样从崇高的高度上击中岩石底部。尽管最终在开场和适度的动力上取得了巨大的成功，但2000年的负面方面远远超过了积极的方面，这使其成为特许经营历史上最艰难的十年。

Timeline of Key Events:

June 2000:Blazers lose Game 7 versus Shaquille O’Neal,Kobe Bryant, and the Lakers in a crushing fourth-quarter collapse.

April 2001:拉希德·华莱士throws a towel in the face of Arvydas Sabonis during a team huddle in a game against the Lakers.

2001年5月：Mike Dunleavy被解雇为教练，下个赛季取代了Maurice Cheeks。

2002年11月：Wallace and Damon Stoudamire are pulled over in the infamous yellow Hummer on I-5 following a game in Seattle, accused of speeding with marijuana in the car.

2003年5月：President/GM “Trader Bob” Whitsitt resigns; replaced by Steve Patterson and John Nash.

2004年2月：华莱士交易到Atlanta Hawksin exchange for Shareef Abdul-Raheem,Theo Ratliff, andDan Dickau

2005年1月: Qyntel Woods pleads guilty to animal abuse charges for dogfighting.

March 2005:Cheeks fired as coach, replaced the following season byNate McMillan。

June 2006:LaMarcus Aldridge和布兰登·罗伊（Brandon Roy）Drafted

2007年3月：凯文·普里查德（Kevin Pritchard）晋升为通用汽车（GM）。

May 2007: Blazers win draft lottery. Brandon Roy named NBA Rookie of the Year.

June 2007:Greg Oden selected with first pick in 2007 NBA Draft. Blazers pass onKevin Durant。

December 2009:Oden fractures his patella in his final game in a Trail Blazers uniform.

April 2010:Roy comes off the bench in a Game 4 victory in the team’s first round match up with the凤凰太阳, eight days after undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus.

What are your memories of the 2000’s? Do you agree that they brought the worst times the franchise has ever seen? What were your brightest spots? Share below and be sure to check in throughout the week as we continue to count down the best decades in Portland Trail Blazers history.