Blazers face brutal opening stretch

The NBA released its season schedule yesterday and the Blazers are just a few short months away from their first tip off.

• It's going to be a tough slog, though, as the team will have to overcome some early-season challenges.

The Blazers will play 12 of their first 17 games on the road, as noted by The Rose Garden Report.

• That includes two six-game road trips before New Year's Day.
• And they'll face many of the Western Conference's best teams — the Spurs, Thunder, Nuggets and Timberwolves — twice each before Christmas.

Yes, but: Damian Lilliard will suit up in red and black for the first time in several years.

The bottom line: Hope springs eternal before the first game is played and we're ready to be wowed by this team.

• It'll be nice to finally focus on basketball instead of all the other stuff surrounding the team.