Where's the hope?

by shenanigans on Mar 4, 2010 7:48 AM PST

I haven't been paying real close attention to the standings lately. I knew that Portland had been struggling and was clinging to the #8 spot despite having a much better than .500 record. I also knew that Portland had the chance to catch a couple of the teams in front of them if things went right. What I didn't know was that the only team completely out of reach is the L@kers. We're 5 games back of Dallas with 18 to play. Dallas is currently on a 9 game winning streak during which they passed up 2 teams and distanced themselves from many others. If Portland can muster a similar run they can achieve a much better position than 8 or 7.

I'm not trying to suggest that Portland has a likely shot at the two seed, or is likely to win the division, but all I've heard and read lately (without actually following through and checking myself) would indicate that Portland is destined for a first round visit with the Fakers and an early exit. I believe that with the proper application of winstreak and chokejob Portland can still pickup as high as the 4 seed, and can give any team a run for their money (providing what happened early season doesn't flare back up).

I just wanted to inject some hope in the sidebar. Discuss. Or not. It's your call.

Poll

What are your hopes?

That Portland acheives home court in the first round.

20 votes

That Portland just gets in to the playoffs.

42 votes

That Portland fails to make the playoffs for the John Wall sweepstakes.

4 votes

Portland 2010 champions!

35 votes

That the Staples center is engulfed by a giant meteorite during a Lakers/ Celtics game there.

38 votes

That bacon is recognized as a food group by the FDA.

21 votes

160 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 37 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

blazers=2010 nba champions

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Mar 4, 2010 7:59 AM PST reply actions

Seriously,

I type up a whole post about hope and forget this as an option?

For shame. :)

It wasn't the first time I'd been kicked in the cherries and called a rat by a woman, but it was the first time I didn't mind.

by shenanigans on Mar 4, 2010 8:08 AM PST up reply actions

ummmmmmmm

we’re most likely going to be in 7th or even 6th place by the end of season, if you HAD done some research, or even looked at other posts in similar veins to this one. but 4th place? no freakin way.

by thankyouforblaze on Mar 4, 2010 3:47 PM PST up reply actions

That's making up

three games in the next 18 to get to where the current 4th place team is. You don’t believe it’s possible to make up three games?

It wasn't the first time I'd been kicked in the cherries and called a rat by a woman, but it was the first time I didn't mind.

by shenanigans on Mar 4, 2010 4:51 PM PST up reply actions

I guess it's four as Utah as pretty much beaten our

heads in all year, but four games is still not the undreamable dream.

It wasn't the first time I'd been kicked in the cherries and called a rat by a woman, but it was the first time I didn't mind.

by shenanigans on Mar 4, 2010 4:55 PM PST up reply actions

you dont have to have home court to win a championship

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Mar 4, 2010 11:08 PM PST up reply actions

I just posted on our chances against the teams just ahead of us

Roughly, I think we are likely to pass the Spurs to crack the top seven, have a decent shot at passing OKC, and an outside shot at passing Phoenix even if they don’t fold.

I don’t think we crack the top four unless Utah or Denver has a significant collapse.

Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!

by jscot on Mar 4, 2010 8:25 AM PST reply actions

55 wins.

I think we can get a better first round opponent with that record.

Wearing the black band for Jarrett Jack, Ime Udoka, Fred Jones, Sergio Rodriguez, Channing Frye, Luke Schenscher, Shavlik Randolph, James Jones, Josh McRoberts, Steven Hill, Jarron Collins, Michael Ruffin, Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw. Sacrificed to the unmerciful god of progress.

Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?

by T Darkstar on Mar 4, 2010 8:27 AM PST reply actions

Hater

I still stick with my projection from the start of the season with 68 wins.

by tominhawaii on Mar 4, 2010 8:30 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

i know

t darkstar is such a pessimist

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Mar 4, 2010 10:19 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

You do realize the Blazers' would have to win every game the rest of the season to get 55 wins, right?

by Sean M on Mar 4, 2010 10:36 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Wasn't that his point?

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Mar 4, 2010 10:49 AM PST up reply actions

Yep. I should think before I post.

by Sean M on Mar 4, 2010 11:06 AM PST up reply actions

Why?

This is supposed to be entertaining, and that was. :)

Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!

by jscot on Mar 4, 2010 12:27 PM PST up reply actions

I hope to just make the playoffs.

But the Staples center option was just too good to pass up.

My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.

by OCBlazerFan1 on Mar 4, 2010 8:37 AM PST reply actions

TRUE

If a (hopefully radioactive) meteor hits the Lakers and the Celtics that would just be the icing.

If it hit the Staples Center, it would clean up over 20k Laker fans too.
Mmmmmm cake.

we can still win........

by RastaMonsta on Mar 4, 2010 12:29 PM PST up reply actions

I swear to God, I'll pistol whip the next guy who posts a reply to shenanigans

dinasour type of guys choir boys

by mittsabishy on Mar 4, 2010 9:17 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

LOL

by Dominator13 on Mar 4, 2010 10:43 AM PST up reply actions

why can't I choose options 5 AND 6?

Although I gotta say, 5 wins it by a hair.

Skadoosh

by postup on Mar 4, 2010 9:44 AM PST reply actions

Can't say I like 5

Imagine the celebrities we would lose. It would nearly single-handedly kill the Hollywood industry, and without movies what would I do on my Friday nights alone?

Also, the Blazers may be fortunate and climb to a 6 seed, perhaps even put a run together and get to 5, but I believe the only way we make it out of the first round is if we play Dallas. Utah may sweep us, Lakers would be entertaining but a loss, and Denver is a similar story. Dallas is our best chance…not a great one but still a chance.

by GMan83201 on Mar 4, 2010 10:10 AM PST reply actions

the way greg dunks on pau... You just cant teach that!

bring on the lakers in the 1st r.

by Captain fruit on Mar 4, 2010 10:10 AM PST reply actions

you mean the way Batum dunks on Pau...

We'll miss you #2 & #25!

by clinchmobb on Mar 4, 2010 11:09 AM PST up reply actions

They both dunk on Pau pretty well...

"Rudy is not everyday a shooter," Fernandez said. "He's defense. He's passes. He's assists."

by jebuz on Mar 4, 2010 12:06 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

I would be happy

If we somehow faced Phoenix, OKC, or San Antonio.

Dallas and Denver would be ok.

Utah or Lakers would not be cool

Ball handling and dribbling are my strongest weaknesses."—David Thompson

by Benson on Mar 4, 2010 10:40 AM PST reply actions

OKC, Pheonix, SA and Dallas would all be OK by me.

I think the top half of the West standings are going to shake up some before it’s all said and done. The West coast playoff teams still play eachother quite a bit. This means every time two of them meet they are gaining or lossing an entire game in the standings to one another. This will be a lot of fun to watch when OKC plays DEN, PHX plays SA, DAL vs UTH, etc.

I think it would be a pipe dream to think this team gets higher than 6th. We’ll have to see if they can make the Rose Garden their dungeon of doom for road teams like they did last year. Man I remember the last dozen home games last season our nearly all of our opponents never had a chance. Oh that was beautiful.

If we can’t make it out of the 8th seed I wouldn’t be crushed. LA has a hard time in Portland (obviously) and I think we could get one down there.

We’ve got vets with playoff experience now. Juwan, Macus, Dre and now you have to count Brandon in that mix too. He was one of the few players on our team last year who weren’t still teriffied by the end of the series.

If we somehow run into OKC I would be extatic. Facing a young team with no vets and no playoff experience – too much to ask for. They’ve got some swagger now though and a playoff exit via the Thunder would be a nightmare.

by dirtboydave on Mar 4, 2010 7:52 PM PST up reply actions

Phoenix just dropped a game at home

It’s entirely feasible we are within a game by the time we play them, and we own the tie-breaker. Our chances of getting the fifth seed just went up. We almost certainly have to win there to catch them.

Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!

by jscot on Mar 5, 2010 1:25 AM PST up reply actions

I would absolutely LOVE a Lakers matchup

I don’t care if we wouldn’t have much of a chance, at least it would make for an entertaining series.

Dallas is our best chance of getting to the second round, as a 4-8 seed.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Mar 4, 2010 10:53 AM PST reply actions

we'll make the playoffs

maybe move up a seed or two from 8th. i really just want the blazers to be competitive in their playofff series, no matter who they play. they need to come out from the first tip of the first game ready to compete hard on every single play. don’t want to see the deer in the headlights look they had in that first game against houston last year. if they keep improving and gelling over these last 18 games, the might surprise people and win a series.

by crazybee on Mar 4, 2010 11:11 AM PST reply actions

if we are going to probably be one and done i hope we play the lakers

by Captain fruit on Mar 4, 2010 11:50 AM PST reply actions

Blazer's would actually have to get to the 3rd seed to play anyone but the big four

since if they got to 4th, the team they displaced would be 5th and they’d still play them.

So it’s going to be one of the top four teams.

by raoulduke on Mar 4, 2010 12:01 PM PST reply actions

Yes, but we don't even know for sure

who the top four teams are, yet.

Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!

by jscot on Mar 4, 2010 12:29 PM PST up reply actions

I find it somewhat unsettling that

more people are hoping for the destruction of two franchises than the final ascent of our own.

EESH.

It wasn't the first time I'd been kicked in the cherries and called a rat by a woman, but it was the first time I didn't mind.

by shenanigans on Mar 4, 2010 5:24 PM PST reply actions

between choices 1 and 2

I think a 6 or 7 seed seems most likely. If I had to bet money I’d put it on us being a 6th seed. Passing the Spurs seems likely and I’m still not on the Thunder bandwagon yet. As the late season pressure builds I think opposing teams will play better perimeter defense and OKC will drop a few games. Durant is an undeniably great player and they have some very good athletes on their roster but I still think their roster needs some work. I don’t think their quite there yet.

JRogero

by JRogero on Mar 4, 2010 10:21 PM PST reply actions

My hope is they find a way to get homecourt in the first round.

That’s what I voted for, but I don’t think the chances are very good. Utah would have to fall off quite a bit, then we’d have to face them in the first round probably anyway. That’s not a good matchup for Portland; I’d almost rather see Dallas, even with Butler and Haywood.

After everything that has happened this season, I will be happy if the Blazers are better than eighth seed and are able to win a few games. Another 6-7 playoff games for Brandon, LMA and the other youngsters will benefit them greatly next season, even if it ends in a first round exit.

"I just played my game. I didn't do anything special. Just take the open shot, make cuts to basket, get rebounds. That's it." ~Nic Batum

by vanceanthony on Mar 5, 2010 9:41 AM PST reply actions

best hope is to get to the 5 and have dallas in the 4

or the 6 and have dallas in the 3. i do think if we had to play denver the blazers might surprise on upside. denver just one injury away from collapse with billups or anthony. acrtually billups more important to that team, imo. without him their chemistry drops a lot.

by utahcoyote on Mar 5, 2010 10:01 AM PST reply actions