The Portland Trail Blazers are one of the NBA's biggest success stories this season with their surprisingly competitive team despite losing LaMarcus Aldridge in the offseason.

Damian Lillard credits how closely the players have worked together even before the season started.

“It’s a great feeling and it’s rewarding,” Lillard said of the Blazers’ surprising season. “We put so much time in together. Once our roster came together, we started spending time together right away. We went to San Diego together and worked out for a week. We came to Portland a month and a half early, played pickup. We worked out together, hung out together, and formed a bond with each other.”

The Blazers have been on a surge since a 29-point victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 26th. The Blazers have won 26 of their last 42 games.

“When the season started, we knew there would be growing pains on the floor, and it would come down to how we responded to that,” said Lillard. “All the things we went through to start the season, it made us better, and now we’re in position to be a playoff team.”

Lillard is the unquestioned leader but it's a group effort.

“It’s not me just doing everything,” Lillard said. “I’m not carrying the team and having to do it all by myself. It’s the group. I came into camp and in my mind I’m saying we’re going to be better than people think, having a lot of pride. We’ve been able to do what we’ve done because everybody felt that way. Everybody came in and said, ‘I’m better than what they say I am. I can bring more to this team than they say I can bring.’ And they took it personal.”

Meyers Leonard will undergo surgery to repair his injured left shoulder and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

The surgery is scheduled to be performed on Friday, April 8 by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

A prognosis on Leonard's return will be made following the procedure.

Leonard will be a restricted free agent in the offseason.

C.J. McCollum is averaging 20.7 points and 4.1 assists per game this season as he's having a breakout year with increased minutes.

"For me as an individual, it’s been a good year," said McCollum. "Coming off an injury riddled season when I was hurt, not playing a lot of minutes. I wasn’t healthy. I was in and out of the rotation, playing around 15 minutes a game. And then we make the Arron Afflalo trade, and those 15 minutes go to zero. I got some DNPs, and then some injuries allowed me to get back into the rotation and I finish the season strong. … It was kind of like I played, then I didn’t play, played again, and then the season ended. So people didn’t know what to expect from me. Probably wasn’t sure how I would adapt to an increasing new role. Being on your podcast (last summer), I was really able to get a sense of the low expectations that people had for us around the NBA."

McCollum is a leading candidate for Most Improved Player and was asked if he thinks he deserves the award.

"There are a lot of good players that have improved. You look at my increased role and opportunity to increase my production; I think it stacks up pretty well against the rest of the guys. … I think based off what I’ve done and what our team has done – just the development and our coaching staff has spent tons of hours watching film and continuing to help us get better – we’re at a really good place. Individually, I’m continuing to get better and would love to accept the award on behalf of the city of Portland and Trail Blazers organization."

The Portland Trail Blazers made inquiries before the deadline about the availability of Greg Monroe.

The Blazers also pursued Monroe in free agency before he decided to sign with the Milwaukee bucks.

The Blazers could explore a trade for Monroe again in the offseason with the assets of their first round pick, a young player on a good contract and cap space.

Monroe can become a free agent again in 2017.