The 2000âÂÂ01 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 31st season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Trail Blazers acquired Dale Davis from the Indiana Pacers, and All-Star forward Shawn Kemp from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade. The Trail Blazers struggled losing three of their first four games of the regular season, but soon recovered and later on posted a 10-game winning streak between January and February, and held a 35âÂÂ15 record at the All-Star break.
At mid-season, the team re-signed free agent and former Trail Blazers guard Rod Strickland, who the Washington Wizards previously released. Despite the strong start, the Trail Blazers struggled and played below .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the season, posting a 15âÂÂ17 record after the All-Star break. Falling nine games below the previous season's mark, the Trail Blazers nevertheless qualified for the NBA playoffs for the 19th consecutive year, finishing in fourth place in the Pacific Division with a solid 50âÂÂ32 record, and earning the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
Rasheed Wallace averaged 19.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, while Steve Smith provided the team with 13.6 points per game, and Bonzi Wells continued to show improvement, averaging 12.7 points and 1.3 steals per game. In addition, Damon Stoudamire averaged 13.0 points, 5.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while Scottie Pippen provided with 11.3 points, 4.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and Arvydas Sabonis contributed 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Davis averaged 7.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, Kemp provided with 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, Greg Anthony contributed 4.9 points per game, and Stacey Augmon contributed 4.7 points per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., Wallace was selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team. Smith also finished tied in sixth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, while Wells finished tied in ninth place in Most Improved Player voting.
In the Western Conference First Round of the 2001 NBA playoffs, and for the second consecutive year, the Trail Blazers faced off against the 2ndâÂÂseeded, and defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, who won the Pacific Division title, and were led by All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal, All-Star guard Kobe Bryant, and Derek Fisher. However, the Trail Blazers were without Wells, who was out due to a season-ending knee injury sustained during the final month of the regular season. Without Wells, the Trail Blazers lost the first two games to the Lakers on the road at the Staples Center, before losing Game 3 at home, 99âÂÂ86 at the Rose Garden Arena, thus losing the series in a three-game sweep. The Lakers would reach the 2001 NBA Finals to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers in five games, winning their second consecutive NBA championship.
The Trail Blazers finished third in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 831,376 at the Rose Garden Arena during the regular season. Following the season, head coach Mike Dunleavy was fired after four seasons with the Trail Blazers, while Smith was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, Strickland signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat, Anthony was traded to the Chicago Bulls, Augmon signed with the Charlotte Hornets, and Sabonis and Detlef Schrempf both retired; however, Sabonis would return for the 2002âÂÂ03 season.
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | April 22 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 93âÂÂ106 | Rasheed Wallace (24) | Arvydas Sabonis (9) | three players tied (4) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 0âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | April 26 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 88âÂÂ106 | Scottie Pippen (21) | Scottie Pippen (8) | Damon Stoudamire (5) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 0âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | April 29 | L.A. Lakers | L 86âÂÂ99 | Smith, Stoudamire (25) | Rasheed Wallace (13) | Stoudamire, Wallace (4) | Rose Garden<br>20,580 | 0âÂÂ3 |-
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