Let's think about this.... Although we all want the Blazers to win the Division and get HCA and all that, but baby steps, people... and getting into the playoffs is what it's all about and is what these kids need: a taste of the big time games. And a 7 game series with the Los Angeles Lakers might be just what the doctor ordered. Can the Blazers win such a series? I wouldn't bet money on it, but I would give them a hell of a lot better odds of doing so than beating, say... San Antonio, Utah, or Dallas. One more reason: nothing, and I mean NOTHING energizes this fan base more than playing the Lakers. You want to give the guys in Blazer uniforms a taste of the playoffs in Portland, Oregon? Put them on the court with the Lakers. For better or for worse, if this young team is spurred on in the very least by a rabid home town crowd and atmosphere, they'll get it in spades with the Lakers in town for games 3 and 4. Guys in Kobe jerseys will fear for their lives. The long-term growth of this team is what is going on here, people... as much as I want the Blazers to win every game, even *I* have to be realistic and say that the team isn't winning the championship this year. So what would teach this team more about the importance of playoff basketball than measuring themselves against the so-called "best", which just happens to be the team that Blazer fans hate the most... and judging from the recent past, I'm sure Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez wouldn't mind a crack at putting a dent in their title dreams.
I'd welcome a healthy blazers team facing the L*kers in round 1. For the points you brought....playing them, win or lose the series will only give us the best experience in the playoffs IMO. They are clearly above everyone else in the west and to play on that level is something the Blazers need to learn to do.
I wonder how a team this young will respond to coming home down 0-2, no matter who the opponent is...
I think against the Lakers, the Blazers might be able to steal one at Staples. If that happens, can you even imagine the scene at the opening of Game 3. Holy hell, I just get goosebumps thinking about it.
Don't you mean < ? Although, a matchup against LA wouldn't be the worst thing the world, I'd rather focus all our energy into getting a top 4 seed so we can have a better chance of advancing. Playing 2+ home games in two rounds can give our guys a better taste of the playoffs than simply 2 home games vs. LA in the first round.
It wouldn't be so bad, it would just end realistic hopes of making the second round. I'd rather have a top four seed and HCA and a chance of getting past the first round. I'd be cool with facing LA in round 2.
I think the Blazers would definitely lose in the first round against the Lakers. Maybe at best, it woudl be as competitive as that 2. Heat vs. 7. Bulls series from a few years ago, where the Bulls came out and won both their home games, and then were right in it in game 5 with the Heat. Maybe as competitive as the Hawks vs. Celtics series from last year. With what is currently a poor road record, Blazers will want to get as much home court advantage as possible. You don't want to take on, what my rating system says is the third best team in the league in the first round. If the Blazers played say the Jazz in the first round, and pulled a win, and got that experience of winning a series against a lesser team, than maybe they could be in the mindset of taking out the Lakers. But honestly, I don't see many teams being able to beat the Lakers in the playoffs. I think it will be Spurs or Lakers in the finals, with the Spurs being the only team that can take down the Lakers. (Some other teams might be able to take down the Spurs though...). For the Blazers, winning their first round playoff series against a non-Lakers / Non-Spurs opponent is probably the best case scenario, and then fighting strong against the Spurs/Lakers in the second round.
Id rather play LA in round 2..I think this team is better than a 7th or 8th seed..we need to shoot for that. Hell we are tied for losses for 1st in the division with 18 games to go..we can get this done!
I guess if you want to call seeds 1-8 'less' than 9 (which is mathematically correct) but in terms of 'value' 1 is 'greater' than 2, 2 greater than 3, etc. -- I guess we can both be right.
#8 seed lol.... is someone realizing we arent that good? and that we needed a fucking trade? IF.... and its a BIG IF... we make these playoffs... it will be because the suns fell apart... I still think it will be by default IF we get in. If we made a trade, we would have won the game last night. But we didnt cause like many fans... our gm is in love with mediocre to below average talent.
Ah, we wondered where you had gotten yourself MIXEDUP, I guess the Dallas loss brought you out from beneath your rock. So you really think the Blazers are going to play sub .400 ball the rest of the way out and the suns are going to go something like 15-2? Yeah, that sounds a lot more reasonable than the Blazers winning around 7 or 8 more games and finishing at 47-48 wins minimum and getting in.
This Blazer team hasn't even played in the playoff yet, assuming they get the 8 seed, lets see how they handle coming back to the rose garden down 0-2 with all the pressure on them, playing a team with a ton of playoff experience.
its really pointless to make the playoffs... pritchard wanted lotto.... so far the suns arent playing along
mixum number two? i dont mind darizzle cus he actually has intelligent comments. But who are you? we kinda get that we dont have playoff experience who said we did? thats one of the main points of this season is to get playoff experience and to think that some how suns are going to come back from there loss of amare is a joke. please go away.... we already have one mixum i dont know if i can handle a second especially a lakers fan mixum.... thats just gotta be the worst
Did I hurt your wheetlle feelings? Just giving my opinion about the blazers chances againt LA. Feel free to reply to my topic instead of attacking me
Why would he want the 14th pick in the lotto? With the current economy, he might be able to bu up a late lotto pick.
So now Utah is a lesser team I think Lakers would win a series in 5 to tell the truth, Utah was a much better team last year and were just as good @ home, if not better and they gave up one to LA @ home. Especially if Bynum is back by playoffs, you guys wouldn't stand a chance playing LA.
