The Portland Trail Blazers have recently shown improvement by winning five of their last six games, although they remain 13th in the Western Conference. Despite not contending this season, the future looks promising for the team, largely due to rookie center Donovan Clingan's standout performances. Clingan, who has battled injuries, has risen to the top 10 in the NBA rookie leaderboard thanks to consistent contributions on the court.

Although Clingan's scoring average is modest at 4.0 points per game, his rebounding and defensive stats have been impressive, indicative of his overall impact on the game. With the trade deadline fast approaching, Portland is expected to focus on developing its younger roster, and Clingan is projected to be a key player moving forward, bolstering his reputation as a cornerstone for the franchise.