RIP CITY: How Did Portland Trail Blazers Get Their Quirky Nick Name
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Over the years, many NBA teams have earned iconic nicknames. The Chris Paul and Blake Griffin duo led the Clippers to become known as Lob City. In the 80s, Lakers played with a particular flair in the game and gained the tag of showtime Lakers. Just like that, Portland Trail Blazers are also known as RIP City.
But what is the reason behind the Portland Trail Blazers being known as RIP City? If you want to know the answer to that question then you are at the right place.
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The day when Portland Trail Blazers became RIP City
The year 1970 was a special one for the NBA. They added three new franchises to the league dubbed as the Portland Trail Blazers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Buffalo Braves. Also, it was the year, when teams were divided into Western and Eastern conferences.
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Blazers had the best record out of the three newly added teams as they won 29 games and lost 53. But the road to glory was still a fair distance away.
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During the first season, the Blazers were all set to face off against one of the league’s powerhouses in Lakers. The game was scheduled on February 18, 1971. As expected, the Lakers gained control of the game in the early minutes and never let go.
However, during the game, Blazers’ guard Jim Barnett sank a long-distance bomb that went straight into the bucket. This bucket injected a wave of excitement in the fans as well as announcers. Bill Schonely exclaimed “RIP City Baby!” and the nickname was forever cemented in the history of Portland.
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Later on, when asked about the call, he admitted to spontaneously coming up with the expression.
That sums up the history of one of the most iconic names of all time. RIP City will face off against the Lakers on Friday to gain a 2-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs.
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