The Brief Case

Send us Fan MailOn this edition of The Brief Case, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• The Trail Blazers having their postseason come to a close with a loss to the Spurs in Game 5 in San Antonio Tuesday night• The way Portland lost Game 5 was a good reflection of the issues they had during the regular season• You really need outside shooting in the modern NBA and that's especially true in the playoffs• Tiago Splitter opted not to make changes to the starting lineup and it's hard to imagine it would have made much of a difference• Takeaways from the Trail Blazers' first playoff appearance in the last five years• The Trail Blazers were able to develop young players and win enough to make the playoffs, which seems like a successful season for a team in their position• The Trail Blazers currently don't have any picks in either round of the 2026 Draft• Exit interviews are Thursday• Portland made progress this season but still plenty of questions remain heading into an important offseason• Mark your calendars: A live recording of The Blazers Balcony with Brooke Olzendam coming to Spirit Mountain Casino on May 22

Send us Fan MailOn this edition of The Brief Case, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• The Trail Blazers faltering in the second half to lose Game 3 Friday night despite Victor Wembanyama not playing• Game 4 playing out in a similar fashion to Game 3, though this time with Wembanyama• If first-half, double-digit leads mattered, the Trail Blazers would be heading back to San Antonio with a lead in the series • After doing a good job of taking care of the ball the Trail Blazers had as many turnovers as made field goals in the second half of Game 4• Trail Blazers need more from a number of players if they're to extend the series• Tiago said he would consider changes, but what changes are there to make?• If you play well enough to win in the first half, what changes can you really make in the second half?• The Spurs seem to up their defensive intensity in the second half• Multiple Trail Blazers might need to have career games in order to get the series back to Portland for a Game 6

Send us Fan MailOn this edition of The Brief Case, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• The Trail Blazers rallying yet again in the fourth quarter to defeat the Spurs in San Antonio to even the series at 1-1• At this point building a lead, losing it and then going down double digits in the fourth before coming away with the win is the Trail Blazers' SOP• Scoot Henderson has the best game of his life to tilt the scales in Portland's favor while becoming the youngest Blazer to score at least 30 points in a playoff game• Scoot gets it done on both sides of the ball by leading the Trail Blazers in scoring and geting "the box"• Scoot finally has his moment after staying the course through three up and down seasons• Jrue Holiday, Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara all made timely plays in the fourth• Robert Williams III has been the Trail Blazers' second best player through the first two games of the series and why you absolutely love to see it• Victor Wembanyama is in the concussion protocol and what that might mean for his stats for Games 3 and 4 in Portland• Get out to Moda for Game 3 (Friday at 7:30 p.m) and Game 4 (Sunday at 12:30 p.m.)

Send us Fan MailOn this edition of The Brief Case, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• The Trail Blazers losing 111-98 to the Spurs in Game 1 of the two/seven matchup of the Western Conference Playoffs• Trail Blazers hang around for the first three quarters despite not playing all that well• Portland gets to within two early in the third, but a few turnovers later, the lead was back to double digits and would remain there for the rest of the game• Deni Avdija joins LeBron James as the only players to post at least 30 points, at least 10 rebounds and at least five assists in their playoff debut• Scoot Henderson and Robert Williams III were both up to the task Sunday in San Antonio• What the Trail Blazers did well (taking care of the ball, defending without fouling) and what they'll need to improve upon (second chance points, three-point shooting) to have a chance in Game 2 Tuesday in San Antonio• Deni Avdija is named a finalist for the 2026 Most Improved Player Award along with Atlanta's Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Detroit's Jalen Duren• All the MIP candidates have a good case, but Deni is the only one who can claim to also be Most Improved AND the best player on his team this season• And if we're looking at Game 1 playoff performances (and the votes are already cast, so w're really not), Deni's Game 1 was considerably better than Duren or Alexander-Walker• Get out to Moda Center for Game 3

Send us Fan Mail(Apologies for the incorrect episode being uploaded initially, it should be fixed)On this Play-In Tournament edition of The Brief Case, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• The Trail Blazers beating the Suns in Phoenix in the seven/eight matchup of the 2026 Western Conference Play-In Tournament• Portland qualifies for the playoffs with the win for the first time since 2021• Tuesday's win versus the Suns was similar to a number of the Trail Blazers' wins in the last month of the season• Portland goes up, then down, then up again• Refusing to fold after enduring a 22-4 run even with another chance of making the playoffs• Deni Avdija with 41 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists is taking his place among the elite forwards in the Western Conference• Jerami Grant comes up huge in the fourth quarter in his first game back from a calf strain• Shaedon Sharpe with some big minutes as well in his third game after missing a few months with a stress reaction• Jrue Holiday, steady as always• The seven-seed Trail Blazers will now head to San Antonio to face the two-seed Spurs with Game One scheduled for Sunday• No one can't stop Victor Wembanyama but the Blazers might have enough to slow him down• You'll want to get your tickets for Games Three and Four at Moda Center ASAP

Send us Fan MailOn this edition of The Brief Case, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• The Trail Blazers defeating the Pelicans on Thursday to move into sole possession of eighth in the West with four games to play• Jrue Holiday continues to assert himself• Toumani Camara sets the league record for offensive fouls drawn and Donovan Clingan sets the franchise record for offensive rebounds in a season• Gaming out the final games of the season for the Trail Blazers and Clippers and how the most likely scenario would result in the winner of the April 10 game between the two teams getting the eight-seed in the play-in tournament• Breaking down the tiebreakers should the Trail Blazers and Clippers end the season with the same record• Tom Dundon, Sheel Tyle and Andrew Cheurng, three of the members of the Rip City Rising ownership group, are introduced for the first time prior to Thursday's game• Dundon's comments about the "big splash" trade the Trail Blazers considered at the 2026 trade deadline and how that might have played out differently under new ownership• The Rip City Remix defeating the Mexico City Capitanes to advance to the second round of the G League playoffs • A conversation with Trail Blazers great Buck Williams about his time in Portland, memories from the title runs in the early 90's, the current team, how the NBA has changed and his candidacy for the Naismith Hall of Fame, which will announce their 2026 class on Saturday

Send us Fan MailOn this edition of The Brief Case, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• The Trail Blazers defeating the Clippers in L.A. Tuesday night in what was Portland's most important game of the season thus far• Why coaches and teams sometimes pretend some games aren't more important than others (even if everyone knows it's not true)• The team taking Tiago Splitter's word to heart with their performance versus the Clippers• Tuesday's game being a perfect example of why you trade for Jrue Holiday• Robert Williams III, Matisse Thybulle and Kris Murray all turning in excellent efforts that are not properly credited in the box score• Deni Avdija playing his best game since the back injury• The considerable support Tuesday night at Intuit Dome for both Deni Avdija and the Trail Blazers in general• Tuesday's win doesn't really matter if they can't back it up with another Thursday versus the Pelicans• The Trail Blazers need to go 3-2, if not better, to give themselves a real chance to get into the eighth seed in the play-in tournament• The "Rip City Rising" ownership group officially takes control of the franchise• The seven-seed Rip City Remix heading south to face the two-seed Mexico City Capitanes in the first round of the "win or go home" G League playoffs

Send us Fan MailOn this edition of The Brief Case, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• Portland blowing out the Nets and Bucks before losing to the Mavericks• Finishing a four-game homestand with another blowout victory, this time versus the Wizards• Big games for Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson• Tiago Splitter saying that Tuesday's game versus the Clippers is "the most important game of the season" • Not only standings but tiebreakers are up for grabs in Tuesday's game versus the Clippers• The current status of the race for position in the play-in tournament and how it very well might not be decided until the last day of the regular season• Moving up into eighth would be great, but the Blazers also have to be concerned dropping down to tenth• Breaking the remaining scheduled for the Clippers, Warriors and Trail Blazers

Send us Fan MailOn this edition of The Brief Case, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• The Trail Blazers holding on to beat the Pacers in Indianapolis on Wednesday• Donovan Clingan gets a new career high in scoring and Deni Avdija returns to form• Portland's bad habit of letting teams back into games• The Trail Blazers getting one of their better wins of 2026 Friday night versus the Timberwolves in Minneapolis• Jerami Grant saves the day in the final minutes of the fourth quarter• Jrue Holiday just keeps turning in great yet quiet performances • The Trail Blazers are now in eighth in the Western Conference standings with 11 games to play• The difference between getting the seven/eight matchup versus the nine/ten matchup in the play-in tournament• Donovan Clingan's elite performance since the All-Star break• How Clingan leading the league in offensive rebound is integral to the Trail Blazers offense• Clingan is arguably the best player from his draft class and is already one of the NBA's best centers• Trail Blazers wrapping up a five-game trip Sunday afternoon in Denver (it's a 2 p.m. tipoff in Portland) before playing the second game of a back-to-back versus the Nets Monday night at Moda Center

Send us Fan MailOn this edition of The Brief Case, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporter/Insider Casey Holdahl discusses...• The Trail Blazers getting a five-game road trip off to a disappoint start with a loss to the 76ers in Philadelphia• Turnovers are an issue yet again• If neither team is playing well, the home team is usually going to win• Taking a bus from Philadelphia to Manhattan• Portland bouncing back with a blowout victory versus the Nets in Brooklyn• Blazers lead by as many as 31 (good), give up a 16-0 run (bad) but do enough to get the comfortable win (good)• Jrue Holiday the cooler• Deni Avdija has fans everywhere, but it was on a different level Monday night in Brooklyn• Kris Murray backs up Donovan Clingan at center• Toumani Camara shakes off a tough game in Philly to play one of his best this season in Brooklyn• The Trail Blazers remain a half game behind the Warriors in the race to host a play-in game• The trip moves on to Indianapolis on Wednesday, Minneapolis on Friday and wraps up in Denver on Sunday