You can pay me now, or you can pay me later...

by GoBlazersWIN on Apr 3, 2009 10:59 PM PDT

Many of you may remember the old car care commercial with the guy saying "You can pay me now or you can pay me later". He was telling us you can either pay for routine maintenance on your car, or you can eventually pay for a complete engine overhaul. Behind him was a mechanic draining some brown crud out of an engine up on a hydraulic lift. This comparison may be exactly equivilent to the position the Blazers are now in.

Coming up on this road trip they have a game against Houston, and a game against San Antonio. This year the Blazers have a terrible record on the road against Western Conference playoff teams (I read somewhere this week we've only won one all year). On the other hand, we have a fantastic home record. It has been said by some lately that home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs means everything for the Blazers. If they get home court they probably will advance to the second round. If not, they probably won't.

Based on the wonderful analysis done on several posts to Blazers Edge, it appears very likely that having home court in the first round will depend on us winning either at Houston or at San Antonio on this road trip. If we lose both of them, we will probably finish 5th or lower.

So the phrase "pay me now, or pay me later" seems to apply here. Either we win a road game against a Western Conference playoff team on this road trip, or we will be forced to win one on the road in the first round. Either way, if we hope to make it into the second round, we will need to win one on the road.

Good Luck!

P.S. If you think it will be tough to win in Houston or San Antonio this week, it will be even tougher in a playoff series.

Tweet Comment 8 comments | 3 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Best solution

Pay now and later.

When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.

by jscot on Apr 3, 2009 11:12 PM PDT reply actions

Are you the mechanic?

by pualo on Apr 3, 2009 11:48 PM PDT up reply actions

I think that's exactly right

These upcoming games ARE our playoffs. I hate to say it, but our chances of winning a playoff series without homecourt advantage are very low. But if we can get the #4 seed with homecourt, I’d favor us to win the series against anyone.

by rmcdougall on Apr 3, 2009 11:13 PM PDT reply actions

Yes

With homecourt, we could.

by GoBlazersWIN on Apr 4, 2009 7:21 AM PDT up reply actions

opponent comparison

I watched the Jazz/Nugget game earlier this week and the Houston/L@ker game tonight (most of it anyway) and what i Clearly see is that nobody scores as easily as we have been scoring. The Lakers are the closest match. It is clear that Gasol gets most of his points by outrunning his man down the court, with the occasional pick and pop/roll. Contain Gasol and its the all Kobe show. in fact Denver wasn’t veryy good without the fast break either, as that set them above the Jazz. We howver seem to score at a good clip fast or in the grind it out tha follows if the break ins’t there. As long as our defense holds steady we can clearly beat any team in the league on any court. It just gets easier at home. I think we may take one or both games remaining in Texas on this trip and lock a home court first round. By winning both games we could set our selves up for the 3 seed and to play the winner of the Denver/Utah series after we trash NOH in round one.

by NWfan on Apr 4, 2009 1:09 AM PDT reply actions

Nice points

It just seems like this team has been improving all year, and building up to do something special… starting this week!

by GoBlazersWIN on Apr 4, 2009 7:23 AM PDT up reply actions

tiva kitty

I feel strongly about our chances of winning in the first round, no matter who we play. We’re gonna make some noise in the playoffs, homecourt advantage or not. doesn’t matter. we blaze trails. We should do it like we did in 77 and just win the whole damn thing.

by GoBlaze22 on Apr 4, 2009 4:05 AM PDT reply actions