2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers Season

The 2000–01 NBA season was the 31st season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Trail Blazers acquired Dale Davis from the Indiana Pacers, and All-Star forward Shawn Kemp from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade. The Trail Blazers struggled losing three of their first four games of the regular season, but soon recovered and later on posted a 10-game winning streak between January and February, and held a 35–15 record at the All-Star break.

At mid-season, the team re-signed free agent and former Trail Blazers guard Rod Strickland, who the Washington Wizards previously released. Despite the strong start, the Trail Blazers struggled and played below .500 basketball for the remainder of the season, posting a 15–17 record after the All-Star break. Falling nine games below the previous season's mark, the Trail Blazers nevertheless qualified for the NBA playoffs for the 19th consecutive year, finishing in fourth place in the Pacific Division with a solid 50–32 record, and earning the #7 seed in the Western Conference.

Rasheed Wallace averaged 19.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, and was selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game in Washington, D.C., while Steve Smith provided the team with 13.6 points per game, and Bonzi Wells continued to show improvement, averaging 12.7 points and 1.3 steals per game. In addition, Damon Stoudamire averaged 13.0 points, 5.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while Scottie Pippen provided with 11.3 points, 4.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game, Arvydas Sabonis contributed 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, Davis averaged 7.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and Kemp contributed 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Smith also finished tied in sixth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, while Wells finished tied in ninth place in Most Improved Player voting.

In the 2001 NBA playoffs, the Trail Blazers faced off against the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference First Round, the same team they had pushed to the brink the year before in the Western Conference Finals. However, without Wells, who was out due to a season-ending knee injury sustained during the final month of the regular season, they were unable to do nearly as well this time, as the Lakers swept them in three straight games on the way to their second consecutive NBA championship, where they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in five games in the 2001 NBA Finals.

Following the season, head coach Mike Dunleavy was fired after four seasons with the Trail Blazers, and was replaced by former 76ers All-Star guard Maurice Cheeks. Meanwhile, Smith was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, while Strickland signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat, Greg Anthony was traded to the Chicago Bulls, Stacey Augmon signed with the Charlotte Hornets, and Sabonis and Detlef Schrempf both retired; however, Sabonis would return for the 2002–03 season.

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

:z - clinched division title
:y - clinched division title
:x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Playoffs

, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 1
, April 22
, @ L.A. Lakers

L 93–106
, Rasheed Wallace (24)
, Arvydas Sabonis (9)
, three players tied (4)
, Staples Center
18,997
, 0–1
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 2
, April 26
, @ L.A. Lakers

L 88–106
, Scottie Pippen (21)
, Scottie Pippen (8)
, Damon Stoudamire (5)
, Staples Center
18,997
, 0–2
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 3
, April 29
, L.A. Lakers

L 86–99
, Smith, Stoudamire (25)
, Rasheed Wallace (13)
, Stoudamire, Wallace (4)
, Rose Garden
20,580
, 0–3
, -

Player statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Player Statistics Citation:

Awards and honors

* Rasheed Wallace, NBA All-Star

Transactions

* July 21, 2000: Signed free agent Rodrick Rhodes
* August 13, 2000: Re-signed Greg Anthony
* August 30, 2000: Traded forward Brian Grant to the Miami Heat and guard Gary Grant to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Shawn Kemp (from the Cavaliers).
* August 31, 2000: Traded forward Jermaine O'Neal and center Joe Kleine to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Dale Davis
* September 13, 2000: Signed free agent center Will Perdue
* September 12, 2000: Re-signed guard-forward Stacey Augmon
* September 15, 2000: Signed draft pick Erick Barkley
* October 3, 2000: Forward Detlef Schrempf retired
* October 4, 2000: Signed free agent C.J. Bruton
* October 4, 2000: Signed free agent Todd Lindeman
* October 4, 2000: Signed free agent Ime Udoka
* October 26, 2000: Waived Jamel Thomas
* October 26, 2000: Waived C.J. Bruton
* October 26, 2000: Waived Todd Lindeman
* October 28, 2000: Waived Ime Udoka
* October 30, 2000: Waived Rodrick Rhodes
* November 30, 2000: Forward Bonzi Wells was suspended one game by the NBA for striking an official.
* February 2, 2001: Forward Rasheed Wallace was suspended two games by the NBA
* March 5, 2001: Waived guard Gary Grant
* March 5, 2001: Signed guard Rod Strickland
* April 3, 2001: Guard Rod Strickland was suspended one game by the NBA due to a DUI charge
* April 3, 2001: Forward Rasheed Wallace was suspended one game by the Trail Blazers
* April 29, 2001: Forward-center Dale Davis was suspended one game by the NBA for elbowing the Los Angeles Lakers' forward Robert Horry.
* April 29, 2001: Guard-forward Stacey Augmon was suspended one game by the NBA for leaving the bench during an altercation on the court.

Player Transactions Citation:

References

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Portland Trail Blazers seasons
Portland Trail Blazers 2000
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Portland Trail Blazers