Predicting the Final 18 Games For Blazers Schedule

The Portland Trail Blazers have the easiest schedule left in the league with 18 games to go.

The team is 30-34 through 64 games, but it is interesting to see what the Blazers will do in the final month or so of the season. Here are some bold predictions for the last segment of the year.

Next Six Games

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller gets pushed out of bounds by Portland Trail Blazers guard Vit Krejci. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Home: Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, Away: Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers

The Blazers have a solid three-game stretch here where they could win any of the matchups. The Hornets game will be the hardest one, but they should take care of business at home against the Pacers and Jazz. Then they head out on a five-game road trip where they will face the Sixers, whom they've beaten already this season, and two very easy opponents, the Nets and Pacers.

The Blazers need to absolutely attack this segment of the schedule and win at least four of these six games. That goal should be attainable, and a fifth win wouldn't be out of the question.

Prediction: 4-2

Middle Six Games

Away: Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Home: Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards

The Blazers have a really tough second half of their road trip against divisional opponents in the Wolves and Nuggets, but they will return home for an easy schedule against four lottery teams in the Nets, Bucks, Mavericks, and Wizards. Again, the Blazers should take care of business at home, but they will struggle to win on the road.

Prediction: 4-2

Final Six Games

Away: Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Home: New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings

Much like the last segment of the schedule, the road games will be very difficult to win, but there are some winnable games at home, especially against the Pelicans and Kings. If the Blazers can steal one on the road, that would be ideal, but it's hard to imagine the team going into the playoffs with a lot of momentum given this particular schedule.

Prediction: 2-4

Overall

This means the Blazers will be flirting with a .500 record, but ultimately they are falling short of this goal. They need 11 wins to finish .500, but they are going to need a road victory against a playoff-caliber opponent in order to compete for a higher spot in the Play-In Tournament.

Final Prediction: 40-42