Win Wed, Nov 27, 2013 - @ Phoenix Suns (1 day off) Win Sun, Dec 1, 2013 - @ Los Angeles Lakers (3 days off) Toss up Mon, Dec 2, 2013 - Indiana Pacers (0 days off) Toss up Wed, Dec 4, 2013 - Oklahoma City Thunder (1 day off) Win Fri, Dec 6, 2013 - Utah Jazz (1 day off) Win Sat, Dec 7, 2013 - Dallas Mavericks (0 days off) I say it should be 4 wins and two toss ups so 5-1 would be good. 6-0 is possible but 4-2 is more likely. If we go 3-3 it would be a small disappointment for this stretch. Key words “this stretch” as this is an easier than average part of our season. With all the hot play we’ve had this year a 3-3 stretch here still makes the season as a whole great. But I think we should hope for more in these six games as having four at home and the two road games against poor opponents isn’t hard.
The Pacers will be on the second of a back to back as well, both on the road with games later than their normal start time. It will be their 3rd game in 4 nights while we will have three days of rest prior to the back to back. Obviously Indy is a great opponent but I like our changes more than if both teams were rested in Portland.
Actually, the Pacers' game in LA is a 12:30pm start. They'll be in Portland several hours before the Blazers will, and will be much more well rested. Not saying it's hopeless, but we certainly don't have the advantage that being the home team usually brings. A victory in that game would be epic.
My thoughts, too. Although I won't be too surprised if we beat IND. We often have a knack for "getting up" for the big games. The fact that it's at home, and there's the equalizer of them also being on a B2B, I want to say 5-1. But I think that the IND game will be our first "real" test* - unless Hibbert/George go down with an injury. *By "real" test I'm not discounting wins against the Spurs and Warriors - those were both terrific wins. But neither of those were typical games. I won't explain why for the GSW, as we should all be aware of the extraordinary circumstances. But we always play the Spurs well and catching them early in the season is always better than catching them once they really start rolling. Sure, they're rolling now - but it's more like they're coasting down a mountainside than throttling their opponents on level ground.
3-3. Better than that is gravy. (preferably a gravy good enough to make burned, rotting Duck carcass palatable!)
I say the only loss is OKC. Remember, Indiana hasn't faced a whole lot of competition (Which is funny, because the national media conveniently glosses over that.) So I look forward to that challenge, and I think we can do it. 5-1. #homerftw
4-2 Losses @ Lakers and to the Pacers the next night. Kobe's return IN LAX will be too much to handle and the Pacers will be waiting at home for us.
Yeah...Indiana was in the ECF last year, so they really didn't need to prove anything for people to believe they were good. Plus, they're winning with defense, which the old guard generally consider more acceptable and sustainable than winning with outside shooting like the Blazers are.
Since Kobe will still be out (which wouldn't have mattered if he was in, since it'd make the win easier), care to change your vote?
