FanPost

Time to get real

I like the optimism of some Blazer fans about the team making a run to the playoffs. I just don't share it.

Nothing has changed in the last week. The Blazers who most needed rest and to get away from basketball played the most. I'm glad Brandon enjoyed his All-Star weekend, but I'm wondering if the West vets were encouraging Byron Scott to keep him out there because they wanted him, not them, to get worn out for the last 30 games.

The Blazer offense was putting up, what, 60 points a game prior to the break? How is that going to change? Do you think Coach McMillan has some new schemes to install?  With one day of practice before tonight's game?  Not unless Mr. Spock is ready to lend a hand with his Vulcan mind-meld.

Why should LaMarcus suddenly turn into Zach in the post? He won't. Expect his scoring and rebounding to continue to be as up-and-down over the remaining games as a Bay Area seismograph.

James Jones is not coming back for another month at least. It would be great if Martell would step up and hit a few threes in his absence but the pressure of making shots in a game will continue to sit on his shoulders like a 50-lb bag of sand.

Jarrett Jack is going to continue to teach us the meaning of The Agony and The Ecstasy. And Travis is going to continue to wait until the fourth quarter of each game to suddenly remember that he's in a basketball game.

Eight of the nine teams ahead of us are 6-4 or better over the last ten games. Dallas is only 5-5, but they are 6.5 games ahead of us. Our record in the last ten? 3-7. And forget about catching Utah for the division title -- they're 5.5 games ahead of us and 9-1 in their last ten.

I can't come out of the break thinking the Blazers are suddenly going to catch fire again. Other teams have scouted them and exposed their limitations. No one but Brandon scores with any consistency. They look like what they are: a young, 30-win team that got hot in December and will probably get 40 wins because of it.

I actually feel good about the Blazers, despite my somber words. They've excited us with some great basketball this season, and they've given us the chance to dare to hope for a few weeks that they might make the playoffs this season. GO joins them next fall, they're all great kids, and the future is bright.

I am fine with no longer having any hope that they will make the playoffs. During these final games, I'm looking forward to the same thing I was looking forward to last October: growth and development in the players and the team, and the excitement of imagining what they will become when GO steps onto the court with them next season.