that even an exit in the first round will not be a disappointment. We are an outstanding young team with a cornea-burning bright future whose expectations at the start of the season were to make the playoffs as an 8 seed. Whatever happens, I know that we will all be proud of them for what they accomplished this year.

It’s been a great year to be a Trail Blazer.

(1) A win tonight over Denver to clinch home court.

(2) Kicking San Antonio’s butt in the first round. Mercilessly. Viciously. Massively.

(3) A good, tough 7 game series with the Lakers, win or lose.

There weren’t many that figured on 54 wins prior to, or early in the season. Making the playoffs was maybe an assumption, but not the possibility of home court.

The Blazers have exceeded all but the most optimistic of expectations. If they lose in the first round, you would have to be awfully cynical to say they failed to achieve their potential this season.

We’ve already won the cake. what happens from here on out is frosting.

this is the last season that we have the luxury of cheering for an overachieving team. As a fan, few things are more thrilling. Next year, the expectations will go way up. The prospect of a championship will be more realistic then, but this year is a rare opportunity to make waves and ride the rocket til it flames out. When there’s nothing to lose, you are already assured of a happy ending.

Don’t get manhandled in whatever round you lose in. Lose in 6 or 7 games. Let NO ONE walk all over you.

Naturally I’d love to win it all, but losing is the more likely scenario this year. Let’s just lose in a battle.

but that would only be my competitive spirit running amok. Those feelings would soon be replaced with excitement for the next season. As a fan of this team who grew up watching Scottie Pippen and co who eventually turned into the jailblazers, I could not be more excited and optimistic for this team. I can feel it, the whole city can feel it. We have something special here. Enjoy the ride Rip City!

this team seems to have higher expectations than the fans. That’s fantastic to hear as it demonstrates a confidence going into the playoffs that is not associated with young teams.

Personally, I think a 1st round victory at home over the Spurs (the most likely scenario) is completely within reason. Making the Lakers sweat in the 2nd round would be sweet, and pulling out the improbable upset would cause me to run through the street while screaming Travis-like "YEAH"s. I hope I’d have the composure to put on pants.

Blazers fans will throw a fit now if the team is knocked out of the first round. They’ll be fine with getting knocked out after that as long as it’s not a sweep.

I’ll use a cliche: as far as I’m concerned, this team is playing with house money.

I’ll use another: Everything from here on out is gravy.

Bill Simmons is no authority on the Blazer fan mindset. Do we expect a lot of this organization, both on- and off-court? Sure we do; it’s a big reason why the “Jail Blazer” mess was cleaned up. Do we expect specfic, pie-in-the-sky results in ‘08-’09? Only the most pants-wetting delusional 1%ers will be crying in outrage if we don’t make the WCF.

My bigger concern is that none of our important players develop CRDAITP syndrome

That’s “Cliff Robinson Disappearing Act In The Playoffs” sydrome for those of you who didn’t know.

I’d love to see some home wins in the first round. If they make the second round, great. I can’t imagine they make it out of the second round. I assure you, win or lose, I will relish watching every playoff game with the Blazers on the floor.

P.S. No Bucher, you’re the knucklehead, knucklehead.

A first round loss would not dampen my enthusiasm one bit.

I do not expect a first round series victory, although it would not surprise me. The Spurs are a team one should never underestimate, no matter how much they may be limping into the playoffs. And Houston has shown they are the sort of physical team that can throw Portland off stride, plus they would likely have home court advantage. But I also believe that the Blazers can beat either of these teams, the way they have been closing out the season. If that happens, I really think we have a better chance against LA than any other team in the West.

So, my semi-prediction from preseason still stands. Portland surprises everyone but themselves and makes it to the NBA Finals this year.

“First the goal was to get to the playoffs. Now that we are here we will try to win a championship.” That is what we should expect. Try to WIN. If we do that and we lose, so be it – it was a great season either way.

(though I am guessing that NO one owns any rights of photos they shoot at a game, don’t really know – hence the “no cameras” rule. But, will they prosecute? ). You could really make a killing with some radical custom Tshirts with assorted selected action shots of our favorite players in action sold to mobs of fans around the city at selected sports bars during the playoffs…….

However, I envisioned a very different way of getting there. I expected both Roy and Aldridge to significantly improve. I expected that Oden and Przybilla would be the other way around with Oden crushing every night and Przybilla coming off the bench putting up solid numbers. I thought Martell was going to be a huge factor on offense, instead of Rudy/Outlaw, and I thought Bayless would be the most impressive rookie.
Anyway, it’s been an amazing season, and I see the Blazers getting past the first round and maybe sneaking into the WC finals. Beating the Lakers in the second round would almost be as awesome for me as winning the championship.

…I wouldn’t be shocked if the blazers made it to the 2nd round or WCF and put up a good fight, but yet i would not be let down if they didn’t make it out of the first round. One year not getting out of the 1st round: okay, Two years w/out getting to the 2nd round, then the disappointment can come.

No blowouts.

No losses at the Rose Garden.

All things considered, this is my all-time favorite Blazer team. Seriously, I love how they all fit neatly together to form an amazingly successful puzzle. Each of them brings individuality, talent and personality which when coupled with their unprecedented success for a young team makes them so dynamic, so endearing and so easy to cheer for.

Seems crazy to say, but it happens sometimes.

This season is already successful in every measurable way. We are feasting on gravy now, and next year looks even more promising.

I hope we get out of the first round because I love watching this team play, and I went it to keep going as long as possible.

but I am not going to turn on the Blazers if they lose an early home playoff game. Stein and Simmons are crazy for suggesting that will be the case. The Blazers exceeded my preseason expectations— by a lot.

the most ATHLETIC POWER FORWARD IN THE GAME. woot woot

If the season ended today, I have nothing but praise for the way this team has grown and matured. I predicted 46 wins and a 8th seed. This team has already surpassed my expectations. I wanted the Blazers to experience playoff basketball, get that taste in their mouth. Even if they lose in the 1st round, I will look back on this season as a complete success.

I expect 7 games against the L*kers in Round 2….although I do see the light and I’d be happy with anything in the post season.

in the 10-11 season, maybe 09-10 but not this year. I was figuring approaching 50, slugging it out for 6-8 in the playoffs come the final week kinda thing

Just go out there and slay ’em. – Elgin

For all the comments and recs. I can always count on Blazers Edge for feedback and snarky comments. We really are the kings of the blog-o-sphere, and don’t you forget it.

is the sense of entitlement that goes with them. Our Blazers are great, and it would be a wonderful dream to win the championship, but I don’t expect them to.

The only thing I really expect is that we will beat Houston. Brandon said he figured them out, so I expect to see some great basketball, as we’ve seen this whole month. I’ve never seen them finish like this, and to me it says great things about the Blazers.

I guess I’m saying my dreams realistically go further than they did before, but I don’t want to become like the crazy Laker fans who expect to win the championship and everything else is failure. That’s stupid.

We can just revel in our team and after the playoffs are over and we’re all crying on each other (with a championship, see I’m still dreaming), we’ll be reminded that Martell is coming back next year, and what a team that will be.

By the way, I love Rudy.

Can you say “triumphant march into NBA history books”?