The Portland Trail Blazers are turning back the clock next Monday, honoring one of the most iconic squads in franchise history - the 1999-2000 Western Conference Finals team - during their home game against the Detroit Pistons.
While the team hasn’t confirmed which former players will be in attendance, the list of potential returnees reads like a who's who of late-'90s NBA talent. We’re talking about a roster stacked with names that still resonate with Blazers fans: Damon Stoudamire, Bonzi Wells, Arvydas Sabonis, Brian Grant, Rasheed Wallace, Jermaine O’Neal, Greg Anthony, Steve Smith, Antonio Harvey, Scottie Pippen, and Detlef Schrempf. And it’s not just the players - members of the front office and coaching staff from that era are also expected to take part in the celebration.
Throughout the night, the organization will roll out tributes to the team’s legacy - a well-deserved spotlight for a group that came within inches of an NBA Finals berth. That 1999-2000 team wasn’t just good; they were electric.
They finished the regular season with a 53-29 record, showcasing a rare blend of veteran leadership, physicality, and depth. This was a team that could beat you inside with Sabonis’ finesse and footwork, or stretch the floor with Smith and Pippen.
Wallace brought the fire, Grant the grit, and Stoudamire the steady hand at the point. It was a lineup built for a deep playoff run - and they delivered.
Their path to the Western Conference Finals included a dominant 4-1 series win over the Utah Jazz in the Semifinals - a victory that would stand as Portland’s last postseason series win for the next 14 years. It was a defining moment for a franchise that had been searching for its next great era after the Clyde Drexler years.
And then there was that Game 7 against the Lakers. Blazers fans know the one.
A game that was all but theirs - until it wasn’t. A 15-point fourth-quarter lead vanished, and with it, their Finals hopes.
It’s a moment that still stings, but also one that underscores just how close this team came to rewriting franchise history.
Monday night won’t be about the heartbreak, though. It’s about celebrating a team that captured the imagination of an entire city.
A team that played with swagger, toughness, and a belief that they could take down anyone in their path. For fans who lived through it, and for a new generation who’ve only heard the stories, this tribute is a chance to remember a special chapter in Blazers basketball.
Expect a night full of nostalgia, highlights, and maybe a few goosebumps. The 1999-2000 Blazers didn’t bring home a championship, but they brought the fight - and left a legacy that still echoes through the Rose Garden.