The Portland Trail Blazers got a strange little gift in the 2026-27 NBA schedule: they’ll be the first Western Conference team to face the Philadelphia Sixers, and that means the first crack at LeBron James’ new team.
That matchup lands on Nov. 23, Philadelphia’s 18th game of the season, and it comes at the tail end of a road trip for Portland. It also closes out the Blazers’ first East Coast swing of the year.
For Portland, the timing matters. The game comes two days after a trip to Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks, and it sits just before the Blazers head back to Moda Center to play Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio on Nov.
- If the New York game goes sideways, a win in Philadelphia would suddenly feel even bigger.
There’s plenty going on for the Blazers themselves. Damian Lillard and Ja Morant will be figuring out how to play together, while Deni Avdija adjusts to sharing the spotlight after getting used to being the main guy. That’s a transition period, and some bumps are part of the deal.
Philadelphia, though, looks like a much trickier puzzle. LeBron, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid all need the ball, and there’s only one to distribute. Nick Nurse has a lot to sort through.
That may be part of why the NBA gave the Sixers a softer landing, with fewer back-to-backs and the fewest three-games-in-four-days spots in the league. They also don’t have to jump into the West right away, and Portland is the first Western Conference team on the docket.
By the time the Blazers reach Philadelphia, about a month into the season, the Sixers could still be grinding through a slow start. If that’s the case, Portland has a real chance to take advantage and bank a win that would matter in the chase back to the playoffs.
There’s another layer here, too: Brown. The Blazers were linked to him this summer, but passed. Beating him would add a little extra juice to the night.
If Portland can pull this off, it would be more than just a road win. It would be the kind of statement result that changes the mood of a trip - and maybe sends the team home to PDX with a lot of momentum.
In Other News...
Blazers Offseason Shakeup Puts Core Players In A Tough Spot
Portlands offseason took a sharp turn with the addition of a high-profile lead guard, and the ripple effects could be felt all the way down the roster. The move gives the Blazers a very different look in the backcourt and immediately changes the way the team will have to organize its minutes, touches and late-game possessions.
For players already trying to carve out a steady place, the new setup creates real uncertainty. Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday are among the names now facing a tougher path to the kind of role they had in mind, and the Blazers will have to sort out how much overlap they can afford as the roster settles in. Portland also kept some continuity by re-signing center Jabari Williams to a three-year extension, but the bigger question now is how the team balances its new arrival with the veterans and younger pieces already on hand. [Read more 🡒]
Trail Blazers Arena Deal Is Suddenly Riding On One Standoff
The Moda Center renovation talks have become one of the biggest off-court storylines around the Trail Blazers, with the State of Oregon, Multnomah County and the City of Portland lining up a public funding package aimed at modernizing the arena. City leaders have already approved the funding resolution, putting the framework in place for a deal that would keep the building on a path toward major upgrades.
What has slowed the process is a familiar kind of standoff: the teams ownership group, led by Tom Dundon, is pushing for public money without agreeing to the rent and in-lieu-of-tax payments the city wants attached. Negotiations are still active, but the clock is real, with December set as the deadline to finalize the agreements needed for the bond sales that would finance Oregons share. [Read more 🡒]
Deni Avdija Could Be The Key To Portlands New Identity
Deni Avdija spent much of last season acting like a point forward because Portland had to lean on him to help organize the offense when the backcourt was thin. The idea now is different. With new playmakers in the mix, the Trail Blazers can ask Avdija to do less of the heavy lifting with the ball and more of the work that best fits his skill set, especially on the defensive end, where he has a chance to settle into a more natural two-way role.
That matters because Portlands identity appears to be tilting toward length, activity and defense around him, with Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan part of the frontcourt backbone. If the Blazers can keep that structure in place and their new creators stabilize the offense, Avdija could be in line for a real step forward as the roster comes together over the next couple of seasons. [Read more 🡒]