The Portland Trail Blazers were established in 1970 as an expansion team in the NBA.¹⁾

The Blazers won their only NBA Championship in 1977, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in six games.²⁾

Center Bill Walton led the Blazers to their 1977 title and was named NBA Finals MVP that year.³⁾

The nickname “Rip City” originated in 1971 when announcer Bill Schonely exclaimed it during a game-winning shot.⁴⁾

The Blazers hold the NBA record for the longest winning streak to start a season by a first-year coach, with 17 wins in 1977 under Jack Ramsay.⁵⁾

Clyde Drexler, a Blazers legend, led the team to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992, and his jersey number 22 is retired.⁶⁾

Damian Lillard spent 11 seasons with the Blazers, becoming the franchise's all-time leading scorer before being traded in 2023.⁷⁾

The team's home arena, Moda Center (formerly Rose Garden), opened in 1995 and is known for its passionate fanbase.⁸⁾

Over 250,000 fans attended the 1977 championship parade in Portland, one of the largest gatherings in the city's history.⁹⁾

Brandon Roy, a three-time All-Star, had his promising career cut short by knee injuries, retiring in 2011 after just five seasons.¹⁰⁾

In the infamous 1984 NBA Draft, the Blazers selected Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan, a decision often cited as one of the biggest draft blunders.¹¹⁾

Rasheed Wallace holds the NBA record for most technical fouls in a season (41 in 2000-01) while with the Blazers.¹²⁾

The Blazers have won the Western Conference title three times: in 1977, 1990, and 1992.¹³⁾

The team's iconic pinwheel logo, introduced in 1970, symbolizes the five players on each side of the court.¹⁴⁾

The early 2000s team, nicknamed the “Jail Blazers,” was known for off-court controversies involving players like Damon Stoudamire and Bonzi Wells.¹⁵⁾

LaMarcus Aldridge holds the Blazers' record for most rebounds in a single game (30) and was a key player from 2006 to 2015.¹⁶⁾

The Blazers played their first NBA game on October 16, 1970, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-112.¹⁷⁾

Terry Porter is the Blazers' all-time leader in assists, with 5,319 during his 10 seasons with the team.¹⁸⁾

In 1999, the Blazers staged a dramatic comeback from a 15-point deficit in Game 7 against the Lakers to reach the Finals.¹⁹⁾

Damian Lillard popularized “Dame Time,” a clutch performance ritual where he taps his wrist during game-winning moments.²⁰⁾

Legendary announcer Bill Schonely called Blazers games from 1970 to 1998 and coined many team phrases.²¹⁾

The Blazers won the 1974 NBA Draft lottery and selected Bill Walton first overall, changing the franchise's trajectory.²²⁾

Lithuanian star Arvydas Sabonis joined the Blazers in 1995 at age 30, after years of international play and injuries.²³⁾

The Blazers had a 19-game winning streak in the 1977-78 season, the longest in franchise history.²⁴⁾

No. 1 pick Greg Oden played only 82 games over five seasons due to knee injuries, often compared to the Bowie draft mistake.²⁵⁾

Maurice Lucas, known as “The Enforcer,” was a key part of the 1977 championship team and had his jersey retired.²⁶⁾

The Blazers sold out 814 consecutive home games from 1977 to 1995, an NBA record at the time.²⁷⁾

Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen played for the Blazers from 1999 to 2003, helping them reach the Western Conference Finals.²⁸⁾

In the 1970 expansion draft, the Blazers selected players like Geoff Petrie, who became the team's first Rookie of the Year.²⁹⁾

Lillard scored a career-high 61 points twice, tying the Blazers' single-game scoring record.³⁰⁾

Hall of Fame coach Jack Ramsay led the Blazers to their 1977 title and is the winningest coach in franchise history.³¹⁾

Portland is called the “Rose City,” and the team's arena was originally named the Rose Garden to reflect this.³²⁾

Zach Randolph began his career with the Blazers in 2001, earning the Most Improved Player award in 2004.³³⁾

The Blazers lost the 1992 Finals to Michael Jordan's Bulls, but Clyde Drexler's performance solidified his stardom.³⁴⁾

Brian Grant played through undiagnosed Parkinson's disease symptoms during his Blazers tenure and later became an advocate.³⁵⁾

After winning the title in 1977, the Blazers missed the playoffs only once in the next 21 seasons (1978-79).Basketball Reference)]

Jerome Kersey, a Blazers mainstay in the 1980s-90s, was known for his high-flying dunks and defensive prowess.³⁶⁾

In the 2020 NBA Bubble, Damian Lillard averaged 37.6 points per game, earning Bubble MVP honors.³⁷⁾

Geoff Petrie was co-Rookie of the Year in 1971, sharing the award with Dave Cowens.³⁸⁾

The Moda Center was the first NBA arena to achieve LEED Gold certification for green building practices in 2010.³⁹⁾

Rick Adelman coached the Blazers to two Finals appearances in the early 1990s and holds the second-most wins in team history.⁴⁰⁾

Damian Lillard hit two iconic series-ending buzzer-beaters: against Houston in 2014 and Oklahoma City in 2019.⁴¹⁾

In the 1977 Finals, the Blazers overcame a 2-0 deficit to win four straight games against the 76ers.⁴²⁾

The Blazers Foundation has donated millions to youth programs, education, and health initiatives in Oregon.⁴³⁾

As of 2025, the Blazers are rebuilding around young talents like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe after the Lillard era.⁴⁴⁾