Skip to main content

Playoff run over but Blazers have bright future

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard provided the emblematic moment for the Trail Blazers’ resurgence, a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that propelled Portland into the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons.

Following the 3 against the Houston Rockets, which gave the Blazers a 4-2 series victory, Lillard grabbed the public address microphone at courtside and screamed “Riiiipppp Ciiiittttyyyy!”

The hometown fans went wild.

The Blazers were considered an iffy pick to even get to the playoffs, let alone make it past the first round. But a couple of key acquisitions and maturation in its star players made Portland one of the most promising teams in the NBA.

“A lot of people had us ninth or 10th in the West, they didn’t think we would be able to compete the way that we did. We worked hard, we believed in ourselves,” Lillard said.

Portland’s season got off to a fast start. The team opened 24-5 to rise to the top of the Western Conference standings, boosted by the offseason acquisition of center Robin Lopez and a seasoned point guard in Mo Williams, who backed up Lillard and sparked the Blazers’ bench.

Lillard and forward LaMarcus Aldridge went on to be All-Stars. Aldridge was making his third straight trip to the annual showcase, while Lillard became the first player to participate in all five events staged during All-Star weekend.

The team slumped slightly in March, going 4-9. The slide was capped by a 95-85 loss at Orlando on March 25. But Portland rebounded by winning nine of their final 10 games, wrapping up the regular season with a five-game winning streak.

The March swoon coincided in part with the absence of Aldridge, who missed seven games because of a lower back contusion. His return steadied the team for the push toward the playoffs.

“In this league, you’re going to have rough patches. It’s how you get through them. I was proud of the way we’ve fought through rough times,” coach Terry Stotts said at the time. “I thought that it showed our mettle.”

The Blazers finished the regular season with 54 wins, the team’s most since the 2008-09 season, and bettered their record by 21 wins over last season for the biggest turnaround in franchise history.

Aldridge finished the regular season with career highs in points (23.2) and rebounds (11.1), his success augmented by the play of Lopez in the middle. He is the only Blazer besides Sidney Wicks (1971-72) to average more than 23 points and 11 rebounds in a season.

Aldridge averaged 26.2 points and 10.6 rebounds in the playoffs. His 46 points in the postseason opener against the Rockets set a franchise record for most points in the playoff game.

Lillard averaged 20.7 points and 5.6 assists in the regular season while Lopez averaged 11.1 points and 8.5 rebounds. Lopez has made 326 offensive rebounds this season, setting a new franchise record, and he had a career-high 29 double-doubles.

“I’m proud of this team from top to bottom because guys who didn’t play came in every day and they worked and they got better. Guys who started and played a lot of minutes got better,” Aldridge said. “I think everybody counted us out. We kind of embraced that role.”

The Blazers defeated the Rockets in six games — capped by Lillard’s stunning 3-pointer — but fell in the Western Conference semifinals in five games to the San Antonio Spurs.

The Blazers returned to the playoffs this season for the first time since 2011. After getting bounced in the first round their previous six tries, the series against Houston advanced the Blazers to the second round for the first time since 2000.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had nothing but compliments for the Blazers.

“I congratulate those guys for playing as hard as they did,” the coach said. “They have got a bright future. They have a bunch of young guys who play their butts off.”

Stotts didn’t immediately talk to his team about next season, preferring to point out the good things about this one. The Blazers will pack up their belongings on Friday and head off for summer vacation.

“There were so many positives about this season. One of the tough things about losing in the playoffs is you end on a loss. But I think it is important that we look back at what we were able to accomplish this year,” Stotts said. “We got a taste of the playoffs. We got a taste of success. It is something that we can build on going into next season.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote