The alternate NBA In-Season Tournament courts for all 30 teams were revealed on Monday. The Portland Trail Blazers will be playing in West Group A with a hot new look for their court at Moda Center:
The obvious major change is that the court will be red instead of hardwood colored. There are also a pair of trophies in the key and the tournament trophy at mid-court. The Blazers' nickname, “Rip City”, is prominently displayed in plaid overlaid over the mid-court trophy. On the sideline is a subtle nod to Dr. Jack Ramsay, the Blazers coach that led the team to their only championship in franchise history in 1977, also in plaid.
The Trail Blazers themselves are leaning into the plaid theme. They've called for a “plaid-out“, asking fans to wear plaid to Friday's Group A matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Reaction has been mixed to all of the court unveilings across the NBA, but it's a cool concept that is infinitely more interesting than yet another jersey tweak. As happened with several recent changes in the All-Star Game format, small adjustments are to be expected in the coming years as the NBA figures out what works and what should be improved upon.
The Blazers open up their In-Season Tournament against the Memphis Grizzlies from Moda Center on Friday at 7pm PST. If the team hopes to advance to the next stage, they'll need to do so without the help of star guard Anfernee Simons, who is out for 4-6 weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb.