After a very slow start to the 2019-20 season, the Portland Trail Blazers have slowly crawled their way to the 8th and final spot in the Western Conference. Despite the rough start, Damian Lillard finds consolation that expectations for the Blazers is that they are “supposed” to win.

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Portland won their third straight contest in their 118-103 victory over the Orlando Magic last night.

The Blazers star backcourt of Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined for 67 points on the night. Lillard poured in 36 points and added three rebound and six assists to lead all scorers, while McCollum chipped in 31 markers, eight boards, and four dimes.

The win ties their longest winning streak so far this season and they look to extend it to four with the Minnesota Timberwolves coming to town later tonight.

The Blazers appear to have shaken off the early season rust they had at the beginning of the season. They were 5-12 at one point, but have since gone 8-4.

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Portland definitely had high expectations heading into the 2019-20 after making the Western Conference Finals in last year's playoffs. However, a combination of a pretty significant turnover from last year's personnel and injuries to some of their key rotation players contributed to their sluggish start.

Analysts have already begun to write them off. But lo and behold, with just one winning streak, they are right back in the hunt for a playoff spot.

However, nabbing a low-seed playoff spot probably isn't the goal for a team that finished as the second best team in the West just seven months ago. They would surely want to take the next step and make the NBA Finals.

That may be a tough climb for a revamped and depleted Blazers team with all the more elite teams above them in the Western Conference.