Baby steps in my mind. Incidentally, I lost $50 to Sly last season guaranteeing the Blazers would make the playoffs. I would imagine he doesn't make the same bet with me for this coming season.
Hmmm....I wonder how many recent WC teams have missed the playoffs one season, then made it to at least the 2nd round in the next?
I think it is slightly different actually. Something about what would make a good season. The poll choices were basically the same though. Just make the playoffs, win a round, etc.
Which pieces are those? How are we improving to the fifth spot or better in the western conference? Which top five teams from last season will we leapfrog?
Amazing to me that making it to the 2nd round of the playoffs is outpacing missing the playoffs 2:1. I know it's a small sample size right now, but I was hesitant to even put making the playoffs as I think at best we are a 7-8 seed. Not sure how we'll find a way into the 2nd round at that seed.
I'm voting "lose in the first round" to be optimistic for ya'll. I like your team's long-term potential, but it really is a bitch playing in the West these days. Have the conferences ever been so disparate for such an extended stretch? In the East, this team's a shoe-in for the playoffs with a decent seed, but surmounting teams like Golden State looks easier on paper than it is in reality. Last year in the West, the #8 seed was eight games over .500 (with the same record as the Bulls had out East, who played against lesser competition). While Utah's gone into full tank-mode and Dallas seems to be a team without a plan, teams like Minnesota and New Orleans have gotten a lot better during the offseason, and I wouldn't be surprised, in the least, to see either pass the Blazers. Even when you just group it into the Blazers, Timberwolves, and Hornets though, you're looking at three teams fighting for one potential opening, and that's assuming that the Lakers won't play better without Howard, and that the Mavericks don't have another trick up their sleeve, because let's be real... they have one PF and no C; they've got to be planning something.
Getting to the second round usually implies a 5 seed or higher. You can have talent to be competitive, but without home-court the odds are heavily against it. This team doesn't feel like a top 5 seed. My prediction 43 regular season wins an 8th or 7th seed (at best), and getting bounced in six.
As much as I like the changes the team has made over the summer, and am hopeful they won't have a bench that absolutely sucks toe, there are some realities we're not seemingly facing here. For starters, with the exception of the SF backup, all of the backups are 2nd year players or rookies. Much more talented than the group last year, but still, rookies or 2nd year players non the less. Backup PG/SG? As far as I know, it's McCollum. Batum could play that role sometimes too, but still, the backup PG/SG is a rookie. He could be something good (like Lillard) but we don't know. The backup SF? He's the only veteren on the bench. The backup PF? An unproven, under performing 2nd year player. The backup C? A 2nd year player who hasn't shown he can play defense at a pro level, let alone a high school level. Should they better than last years? Yes. But a lot of last years wins were because they rode the starters so much AND Lillard performed at a high level. Playoffs? How about they produce a winning season first.
The only way the Blazers were going to improve enough to be a solid second rounder in the West, was to add an All-Star caliber player at the 2, 3 or 5, a starting caliber 5 (if not the All-Star mentioned), and a bench that would rate as at least average. That is and was a tall order and next to impossible with the cap space, draft position and other assets the team had to work with. This summer the team has addressed a starting caliber 5, the beginnings of a plausible bench (though very lacking in experience), and.... that's it. The team will be part of the mix of a bunch of Western Conference teams that can compete on any given night, but aren't dominant enough to pull away from the pack.
