Now I know that it is the current thinking that Dalas is our best matchup, which is true. However the blazers are cursed, ever since the loss to Kobe in 2000. There is no way we are going anywhere as a team in the playoffs until we break that curse. Look at the redsox. It took them 86 years to overcome their curse so I ask you do you want ours to last that long? I for one don't so I propose we settle it right now, this year. We play the Lakers and we give our curse the boot because until we do it doesn't matter if we get out of the first round because we won't be winning any titles. However if we go out and beat the Lakers this year in the first round who else is going to get in our way?