With a comparably favorable schedule plus the way the Blazers are peaking, home court is ours for the taking. The Blazers should easily pass both the NOH and Houston for the 4th seed!  Catching the Spurs and Nuggets, however, no longer seems realistic without a something miraculous. Somehow, the Nuggets just keep getting it done.

The Blazers should start the playoffs at home against Houston or the Hornets.  Both match ups favor the home court team. The Hornets appear depleted. And Houston, while matching up alright, seems too flat to hang with Nate's invigorated squad.

It is really too bad we won't get the Nuggets or the Jazz. Based on the way both teams did not play tonight, the Blazers would simply kill them. I mean, it makes sense to scout these teams we are competing with, but that was a difficult game to watch.

Who would be the easier first round opponent for us: Houston or NO?

Anyone inspired to do an in-depth analysis of how the Blazers line up against these squads?