Personally I think this is the game. The game if the Blazers can play with confidence and possibly blow them out; we have the Mavs by the balls. So I vote, if we win game 4, we win the series; even if it goes to game 7.
I think if we win games 4, 5 and 6 we win the series. or 4,5 and 7. or maybe 5, 6 and 7. but not 4, 6 and 7.
I don't think it guarantees anything. I'm still skeptical of the refs. I think the NBA wants this series to go at least six, maybe seven games. We should get jobbed by the refs at least once more. I think we'll take game four, lose game five, take game six, and then game seven is up for grabs.
I hate that saying. Does that mean the series may never start?? Seems odd. Dallas can end the series without ever winning a road game. As for the question posed by the OP, a win tomorrow hardly guarantees anything. Teams come back and tie the series 2-2 at home ALL THE TIME. What they don't do is actually win the series. A team has only come back from 0-2 to win the series about 14 times in the entire history of the league. Dallas has actually been involved in 2 of those. In 2005 against Houston, Dallas lost their first two games at HOME, but recovered to win the series in 7. Pretty amazing stuff actually. In 2006 against Miami though, they won the first two home games only to lose the series and the championship in 6. I believe we must win this series in 6 games. I'm very confident in our ability to win Game 4 but I have zero faith we'll win Game 5 after the way we bombed in Game 5 in Phoenix last year. I truly don't believe we'll win this series but I think tomorrow will be fun (I'm sitting courtside!!) and I'll try to enjoy whatever happens. Would be amazing to make the second round and face the Lakers. We would get so much attention and finally be on network national television, I would assume, for the first time this year. I think the Blazers and Celtics are the only teams with rosters that can defeat the Lakers. It would be nice for us to get a shot.
You're a trip Eric! You have this thread called "we believe!" and talk about all we have to do is believe and we win this series or even the title, then you post this. Lol
haha i think it is kinda silly too, but basically, if we trade back and forth, we get to a game 7, where anything can happen.
This is my concern as well. Two things can sink us. The first is refs calling flops. This constitutes 6-12 calls against us per game so far, and 10-14 points. In the playoffs, that's a big hill to climb just to get on an even keel with the Mavs. We'd be up 3-0 without flops- or at least 2-1. Some refs call them and some don't. They're easier to call and there aren't a lot of refs with guts. The second is Dallas shooting. So far they have been shooting very effectively, and in particular from the 3 point line. To be sure, part of it is our poor defense and part is their good offense. But some of it is also plain luck. Sort of a 'when you're hot, you're hot' thing. If they come back down to earth for a game, we'll take it from them. So, the formula is better referring, better Portland defense, and a slight cooling of the Mavs 3 point shooting. Unfortunately we can only control one of those.
I think Game 4 is a must win for us. In other words, if we win Game 4, then we stand a chance of winning the series. If Dallas wins Game 4, then they'll almost certainly win the series. If we're tied 2-2, then Game 5 is the key game.
Yup. A win today will ( <--- homer optimism!) be a huge motivation booster, but in practical terms it just makes it a best of three series, with two games on the road. We still won't be favored, but at least we'll have a decent shot at the upset again. I really don't understand this need by so many fans/pundits to put unreasonable weight on particular games... Winning games early can lead to winning the series, but that's just statistics at work. Momentum is an illusion, especially over the course of 7 games.
I think we have to win game 4 to win the series, but don't think winning it means we will win the series. I also think we need to win in 6 because no way we win a game 7 on the road. So we best not lose another game. GO BLAZERS!!!
