Well, after a raucous three-win streak, the Portland Trail Blazers have come back to earth.

Their record stands at 3 wins and 7 losses and number seven came in Utah, tallying on a list that is expected to grow. I started brainstorming this article after watching the Blazers, led by a stellar Shaedon Sharpe, come back and thump Memphis in the NBA Cup game. But publishing it so soon would have been inauthentic, as the Portland front office has no desire to win.

Glowing from a victory just wouldn’t be the right cadence for this season, even if glowing from the win is only natural. It’s a funny thing, winning. But stressing about it would do the soul a disservice when it’s all about development. And the Blazers are developing; say what you want about them fielding a talent-poor team, but they certainly don’t play like it.

They have every right to mail it in with prodigal guards Anfernee Simons and Scoot Henderson stuck on the sidelines, injuries to key bench contributors, and a general lack of experience, but they don’t.

It’s for that reason why I have them pegged for a 30-52 season, even after a disastrous 26-2 run by Memphis in the last eight minutes, an over time heartbreaker in Sacramento, a furious comeback attempt that left a LeBron-less Lakers asking more questions than they have answers for, and a workman’s effort by Deandre Ayton spoiled by defeat in Utah.

All four games indicate the Blazers’ project is nowhere near complete. A more savvy Shaedon Sharpe probably doesn’t foul out or pass up great looks against the Kings and Lakers, respectively. A single jumpshot would have granted reprieve from catastrophe against the Grizzlies. Every game since their win against the Toronto Raptors has, however, proven a team taken to the teachings of Coach Chauncey Billups.

Billups should probably add Chef to his list of titles, because he has been cooking with a shorthanded roster, mixing and matching small ball looks to cover for the rest-of-season absence of Robert Williams III (knee) playing two-way guards to cover for the hurting hamstring of one Malcolm Brogdon, as well as unleashing the human catapult that is Duop Reath’s three pointer.

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How were we even in these games again?

Well, one reason is Shaedon Sharpe. Yes, he’s been inconsistent, mercurial and a disappearing act on offense. But only because fans are so used to a point guard who had the ball in his hands for nearly every offensive play anytime he was on the court. Sharpe’s not like that, he will disappear only to explode on either side of the ball from nowhere. But here’s the thing: he’s learning.

He’s a velociraptor opening new doors in Jurassic Park every night. In every single building he steps in, a new element to his game is learned. This season he’s already developed a powerful right hand drive, a formidable passing vision and a willingness to draw contact. Oh and he still has those pogo stick legs to block any shot possible or just hover to the rim for two.

It was best exemplified by Sharpe’s recovery on a corner three from Luke Kennard that would have won the game. A 360-degree spin on the last possession of the NBA cup group game that sent 15,000+ Blazerfans into a manic state. It was the defensive equivalent of the jumpman dunk. Luke Kennard and the rest of the Rose Garden had no idea his shot would soon be banished to the shadow realm (Shaedon realm?)

Sharpe, who is still looking for a quality nickname as of today (I nominate Shae Butter), has been the key contributor of games. Against Memphis, he stayed silent until the block and then took over in overtime to seal the win at the line and behind the arc. His natural talent has continued to be the difference between a win or loss since that effort and reports from the Blazers say he loves Billups’ hard coaching style.

But Sharpe can’t do it all alone.

That’s why the Blazers signed Skylar Mays, who, by now, has had himself a trio of games good enough for a shiny NBA contract. Scooping up shots like the ball is made by Baskin Robbins, looping layups like lollipops, teardropping floaters from the freethrow line and assisting everything in between, Mays has been absolutely critical to a semi-functional offense since Simons, Henderson and Brogdon went down, one-two-three.

He stepped adequately against Memphis, thundering for a tomahawk dunk. Then, after he finished his night in Sacramento with 18 points and 11 assists with only three turnovers, the point guard followed that effort with 15 points and 12 assists and only a single turnover against Los Angeles. Even nuttier? The Blazers hit 13 of 37 three point field goals for the night, Mays assisted on 11 of those.

We needn’t talk about his night in Utah, however. Beyond more of his trademark craftiness around the rim, a night Mays did not have. But take it as encouragement that he’s a good enough backup to string together some mighty efforts in a row.

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Another reason is Jerami Grant, who had easily the best offensive game by a Blazer this far into the season against the Kings. His not-quite-40-piece was still a healthy 30 burger and had he sent it to overtime round deux, it would’ve counted for his second such performance as a Blazer. Four days later, he kept the Lakers nervous with a solid 20-point effort, and followed it up with another solid 25-point outing in Utah. The Blazers did not lose the game in Los Angeles until Deandre Ayton showed hesitation on a loose ball and Laker wing Taurean Prince capitalized.

Nevertheless, Grant must not be traded unless the return is incredible—a King’s ransom, even, because he would extremely well next to Domantas Sabonis—until otherwise Grant is integral to any Blazers win, accidental or intentional. And while I expect them to lose, damn does it feel good when they win or even almost so. Grant’s threeball has been pure and during the Kings game, his driving was electric, providing spark plug play after spark plug play that would result in a bucket, a foul or both.

Besides a goofy handle, he always seems to find a way to scoop the ball on to the window or push it into the net. It’s a masterclass of how to work the glass. He’s wily and when you’re not the most talented, then I want the most clever, most savvy players, Asking for better vision might be a fool’s errand, but Grant’s passing was on point when he so chose.

A frequent non-target of Grant’s missed passes is Ayton, who despite his gaffe late in the Lakers game, finally had his moment to shine against the Kings and Jazz. For 3 minutes, the Blazers did something they rarely do: they fed the big guy. And it paid off, four midrange jumpers in a row that kept the Kings at bay.

While it was an underwhelming night on the boards (a team-wide issue, all things considered), Ayton’s skillset has been chronically underutilized by his teammates and not rewarded nearly enough. The entry passes by teammates have been criminal, no good for the DA’s office.

When Sharpe hit Ayton with a picture perfect pass from the free throw line to the basket against the Kings, I was already dancing, dancing in the street. Ayton forming a bond with Henderson, Sharpe and Simons will be key to keeping him engaged on both ends of the floor.

In Utah, they made it a point to force feed him the ball early and he finished with a stellar 22 points and 9 rebounds after three quarters of work. Then, as is the wont of a young team, they couldn’t find him worth a damn in the final period. His only boxscore contribution was a single offensive rebound, ending his night with a double-double.

Ayton does have a worse handle than Grant, but I’d sooner trust his midrange jumper and pick n’ roll potential. Still, this former #1 pick has been a coup for Portland’s defense, profiting off a bruhaha of Phoenix’s own making to find a sturdy center they can develop.

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And he’s only the half of it. The other half is your Portland Trail Blazers playing insanely hard even if it only results in a close loss. I’ve heard the phrase of making a mistake at 110 percent effort, well I think the Blazers fuck it up at a rate of 120. They’re chaos in a blue collar.

[Except it’s a red plaid collar because they’re from Portland, one city under the Schonz, the Ramsay and the vertical Pinwheel. It’s a holy trinity as represented by this year’s city edition jerseys, which look better every time I see them, and were the basis for Plaid Night at the Rose Garden. To be honest, this should be an every year thing. Seeing Blazer fans in plaid was more fun than I expected, just like this squad.]

They play a style of basketball simultaneously inspiring and ugly, with rookies ready to make mistakes that will jam up their set, their opponent’s set and probably your TV set. And there’s nothing you can do about it.

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