But in the months to come the Trail Blazers regained their thirst for victory and won seven of their next nine games and 12 of their next 17. They finished the second half of the season by going 24-17, a complete reversal of the first 41 games. By season's end, there were several Trail Blazer standouts: Trail Blazer forward Zach Randolph gained acclaim for his improved play over the last season.

A national panel of sportswriters and sportscasters recognized it by naming "Zebo" the NBA's Most Improved Player of 2003-2004. The third-year Trail Blazer had raised his scoring average of 8.4 from last season to 20.1, his rebounding from 4.5 to 10.5, and his assists from 0.5 to 2.0 per game. Portland's leading scorer posted 43 double-doubles during the season, third best in the NBA. He became the first Trail Blazer in 21 years to average 20 or more points and 10 or more rebounds a game.

New recruit Theo Ratliff continued his prodigious shot blocking feats after donning a Trail Blazers uniform with 32 games remaining in the season. Ratliff, traded to Portland with Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Dan Dickau in the February 10 deal that sent Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person to Atlanta, earned his third NBA blocked shots title by averaging 3.61 rejections a game while playing for both the Hawks and the Trail Blazers. The "Rattler" upped his pace considerably after coming to Portland, averaging 4.41 blocks per game. He finished with 141 blocks in his 32 games with the Trail Blazers. Veteran point guard, Damon Stoudamire took the Trail Blazers helm and recorded his best overall NBA season since his second year in the league with Toronto. With 1,099 points, 500 assists, 408 field goals and 3,166 minutes played, the club's most senior player was the only Trail Blazer to play in and start all 82 regular season games.

Despite the late efforts of these and other Trail Blazers, the team finished with a modest 41-41 record. Their most painful defeat came when, for the first time in 22 seasons, the Portland Trail Blazers were missing in action for the post season. With four games remaining in the regular season, the Trail Blazers were tied with Denver for the eighth and final spot on the Western Conference Playoff bracket. The final must-win games were anything but easy. They included two bouts with the defending NBA Champion, San Antonio Spurs, a road game against the Denver Nuggets, and a home finale against the Los Angeles Lakers. Portland lost all four, two of them in overtime. Missing the playoffs cost the Trail Blazers a share of the NBA's all-time record for the most consecutive playoff appearances. The Philadelphia/Syracuse franchise established the record on 22 consecutive playoffs from 1950 to 1971. Portland remains second on the list with 21 straight. Utah, which also failed to make the cut for the first time since 1982-1983, is third with 20 straight playoff appearances.