Record 42–40 (.512) | Arena Memorial Coliseum | |
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Playoff finish West Semifinals(Eliminated 1-4) | ||
The 1984–85 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 15th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
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NBA Draft
At the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden, fans in attendance booed the Blazers selection of Sam Bowie. Part of the problem was that some had perceived Bowie as damaged goods. In September 1981, while at the University of Kentucky, Sam Bowie was diagnosed with having a fractured shin bone in his left leg. This was previously misdiagnosed as a shin splint. Bowie would not play for Kentucky until the 1983-84 season. Prior to the diagnosis, Bowie averaged 17.1 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game in 1980-81. At that time, there were serious discussions about Bowie entering the 1981 NBA Draft. Bowie was so highly thought of, that he was named to the 1980 US Olympic Basketball Team. When Bowie returned from his injury in 1983, he would average 10.5 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game. The Blazers General Manager Stu Inman had made it known that if Sam Bowie passed the Blazers physical examination, he would be drafted by the Blazers. The Blazers had given Bowie a seven-hour physical to ensure that his leg had recovered from the two-year layoff between 1981 and 1983. The Blazers criteria in selecting Bowie over Jordan was that the Blazers backcourt already had Clyde Drexler and Jim Paxson. The Blazers felt that they had lacked a true center since Bill Walton left the club, and the hope was that Bowie would be able to fill this role.
Note: This is not a complete list; only the first two rounds are covered, as well as any other picks by the franchise who played at least one NBA game.
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