The 2001–02 NBA season was the 32nd season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. During the offseason, head coach Mike Dunleavy was fired after four years and two trips to the Western Conference finals, and was replaced with Maurice Cheeks, as the Blazers acquired Derek Anderson and Steve Kerr from the San Antonio Spurs, and signed free agent Ruben Patterson. Kerr was a former teammate of Scottie Pippen on the Chicago Bulls, where they won three championships in the late 1990s. The Blazers struggled with a 13–18 start, but then went on a 12-game winning streak between February and March, finishing third in the Pacific Division with a 49–33 record, and making the playoffs for the 20th consecutive year.