Top 10 Secrets Fan May Don’t Know About Portland Trail Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers are one of the most popular teams in the NBA. They have a rich history and a loyal fan base. But there are some things about the Blazers that even die-hard fans may not know. Here are 10 secrets about Portland Trail Blazers:

1. The Trail Blazers were almost named the “Lumberjacks”

When the team was founded in 1970, owner Larry Weinberg wanted to name them after Oregon’s logging industry. But he eventually settled on “Trail Blazers” because it sounded more like a basketball team.

2. The team has only had two head coaches since 1977

Jack Ramsay coached the Blazers to their only NBA championship in 1977 and he remained the head coach until 1986. After Ramsay’s retirement, Portland hired Rick Adelman, who coached the team for seven seasons. Adelman was replaced by current head coach Terry Stotts in 2012.

3. The Blazers have retired four jersey numbers

In addition to Ramsay’s number 77, the Blazers have also retired Bill Walton’s number 32, Clyde Drexler’s number 22 and Maurice Lucas’s number 20.

4. Damian Lillard is the only player in franchise history to win Rookie of the Year

Lillard joined the Blazers in 2012 and quickly became one of the best players on the team. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2013 and has since been named an All-Star twice.

5. The Blazers have never won an NBA title

Despite having some of the best players in franchise history, the Blazers have never won an NBA championship. They made it to the Finals in 1990 and 1992 but lost both times.

6. The team’s mascot is named “Blaze”

The Blazers’ mascot is a trail-blazing bear named Blaze. He was introduced in 2002 and has been entertaining fans ever since.

7. The Blazers have one of the longest playoff streaks in NBA history

From 1983 to 2003, the Blazers made the playoffs 21 straight seasons. That streak is tied for the second-longest in NBA history.

8. The team’s home arena is named after a former player

The Blazers play their home games at the Moda Center, which was previously known as the Rose Garden. The arena was renamed in 2013 to honor former Blazers player and coach Maurice Lucas, who died of cancer in 2010.

9. The Blazers have retired two numbers in honor of fans

In addition to the four jersey numbers retired for players, the Blazers have also retired two numbers in honor of fans. The number 12 was retired in 1978 to honor the team’s “12th man” and the number 77 was retired in 2007 to honor the team’s 1977 NBA championship.

10. The team has a popular Twitter account

The Blazers’ Twitter account is one of the most popular in the NBA. As of 2018, it has over 2 million followers.