CAN THE BLAZERS KEEP THEIR HOT STREAK GOING?

Can the Portland Trail Blazers get any better?

They entered Thursday night’s game with Cleveland winning 10 games straight. And, not against bad teams but against quality opponents – beating the Warriors twice in that stretch, the Heat, Thunder, Timberwolves,  and ending the Utah Jazz’s 12-game winning streak, as well.

All this comes behind the hot hand of Damian Lillard. The three-time NBA All-Star is performing at a rate in which he seems nearly unstoppable. He is finally starting to get some recognition and is being talked about somewhat in this year’s MVP race, which he rightfully deserves considering that in the past month, he is averaging 32 points per game, adding five rebounds and six assists, shooting 45 percent from the floor and hitting an average four three-pointers also.

He is making Kyrie Irving and Steph Curry look bad right now with his performances night in, and night out.

Another huge part of the reason why the Blazers are playing so well is because of the two big men down low, Jusuf Nurkic and Ed Davis. Nurk is averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds per game while Ed Davis is coming off the bench and dominating the paint, adding seven points and 10 rebounds of his own, as of late.

Davis and Nurk are bringing a defensive and outstanding paint presence which is what Portland has been ultimately missing, and you can tell it’s making a huge difference.

The Blazers are in the top three of every league defensive category and they are ranked at No. 7 in the league overall for defense –where last year they were in the bottom three in defense.

Lillard has stepped up on the defensive end, which is a side of him we have never really seen before. Plus, Nurkic and Davis down low, with Al-Farouq Aminu and Moe Harkless guarding the perimeter, is a formula that seems to be the answer to our previous defensive problems.

Portland remains currently the third seed in the Western Conference playoff race, but now the question is, have they gotten hot too early?

Just how long will this streak last? We’ll find out, before long.