Bill Simmons Predicts Trail Blazers To Go Under 27.5 Wins This Season

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) and his teammates huddle before a play as they play the Utah Jazz during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Isaac Hale)

By 750 THE GAME STAFF

The Portland Trail Blazers tip off their regular season Wednesday October 25th on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Basketball experts are getting their predictions ready for the young Trail Blazers who have a lot of questions after trading their all time leading scorer in Damian Lillard.

Bill Simmons has been talking basketball for a long time and on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons and Ryen Russillo each gave their predictions for the Trail Blazers and if they can reach their win total of 27.5 games.

Simmons started it out by saying the Blazers will be exciting with their new team, but the win total is too high.

“As much as I love this team and is a ‘League Pass’ team, and I do like a lot of the assets, the West is too good and something’s got to give,” Simmons said. “This team will be a seller in December or January with Brogdan and with Robert Williams. Keeping those guys would be nuts. Maybe even Jerami Grant who they just signed to an extension. I think this team will aggressively try to get more picks as we head to December, January. That 27.5 is just a lot when every night you’re playing a good team.”

Simmons’ co-host, Ryen Russillo, agrees with Simmons on the under bet. But Russillo think newcomer DeAndre Ayton could be in for a big year.

“I have an under as well. Even if they don’t trade those guys, when you have a young backcourt, that’s also going to be bad defensively. They would have to be at a really high level offensively immediately. I think Ayton’s going to put up better numbers then we’ve seen from him in years.”

The Blazers will be exciting. And Russillo thinks the excitement will be led by the No. 3 overall pick in this past draft, Scoot Henderson.

“I can’t wait. Even the Scoot preseason stuff. His gear to finish. When you’re kind of like ‘wait, does he think he’s going to finish right now?’ That’s one of my favorite things with small players is ‘wait, this guy’s going to finish that.’ I can’t wait to watch. I think Ayton has better numbers. They’re not going to trade all these guys. I don’t think that will happen, but it’s a number game in the West so I’m under 27.5.”

Listen to the full Bill Simmons podcast talking about all the win totals in the NBA by clicking right here

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