Thursday March 6th, 2014 Games To Watch (Games Updated Throughout Comments)- San Antonio Vs. Miami Root For: Heat Reason: While it's unlikely the Trail Blazers will catch the Spurs, there's still a chance, especially with Portland playing San Antonio on this upcoming road trip. A Heat victory would bring the Blazers within two games in the loss column of the Spurs. Oklahoma City @ Phoenix Root For: Suns Reason: Again, it's unlikely Portland can make up four games in this amount of time, but the Thunder have shown recently they are prone to losing streaks. Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers Root For: Lakers Reason: Trail Blazers only have a game on the Clippers in the loss column for Home Court Advantage in the First Round ... that damn Lakers loss on Monday is going to prove costly come April, I just know it.
I disagree on the OKC/PHX game. I'm still at the point where even though the odds are clearly in the Blazers' favor, that having teams like PHX behind them lose is better at this point than a pipe dream of catching OKC.
As of right now, if the Blazers go 11-10 for the rest of the season, they are at 53-29. Behind them at the borderline playoff teams, Memphis needs to go 17-3 to tie the Blazers. PHX needs to go 15-4 to tie the Blazers. Dallas needs to go 15-3 to tie the Blazers.
My first reaction as well, reading his post. Especially with this horrific 5-game trip coming up, I'm more concerned with the 6-8 seeds than with the 1-2.
I still remember 08-09 very distinctly. The last stretch of the season, we absolutely crushed teams. Like 20pt+ win every night when we played at home. And it really helped us finish with HCA. Unfortunately, we got a terrible match up vs HOU, but that's not the point. http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/2009_games.html I'm hoping we get into a similar groove this year. edit: as a reference, after 61 games, we were 38-23 that year. We finished the year at 16-5. We're 4 games ahead of that pace this year.
So who's on board with this thinking? Do we root for the teams AHEAD of us to lose or the teams BEHIND?
I vote we just root for everyone to lose and when Two WC playoff teams play each other 17 OTs and a coin flip decides the game. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
Well Miami gave us no help, but Phoenix did knock off OKC. We'd have been only 2 games back if not for the dumpster fire against LA.
Friday, March 7th, 2014 Games To Watch (Games Updated Throughout Comments)- Portland @ Dallas Root For: Trail Blazers Reason: Imperative for the Trail Blazers to go over .500 on this road trip despite how difficult it looks on paper and the Mavericks are one of the more winnable games on this trip. We handled them with ease back in January, but I can't recall the last time we took both games in Big D. Memphis @ Chicago Root For: Bulls Reason: Maybe later on in the season, I pull for Memphis to come in as the 8th seed to give the Thunder hell in the playoffs, but right now there's still a chance we could meet up with them in the first round. Houston vs. Indiana Root For: Pacers Reason: Really could use Houston losing tonight, especially with us playing one another on Sunday. I'm not getting my hopes up though, because this team looks like a buzzsaw right now. Golden State vs. Atlanta Root For: Hawks Reason: We've got a give-game cushion in the loss column on the Warriors but that could evaporate in a hurry with two five-game road trips to play this month.
Saturday March 8th, 2014 Games To Watch (Games Updated Throughout Comments)- Memphis vs. Charlotte Root For: Bobcats Reason: A Grizzlies loss drops Portland's Magic Number down to 14. San Antonio vs. Orlando Root For: Magic Reason: It's now HIGHLY unlikely the Trail Blazers catch the Spurs, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that San Antonio drops down a spot, due to Houston's torrid pace right now, and Golden State passes up for fifth - setting up a 3/6 matchup between us and the Spurs. Los Angeles Clippers vs. Atlanta Root For: Hawks Reason: Trail Blazers and Clippers each have 20 losses now, meaning if the playoffs started today, L.A. would have HCA.
Spurs are the team I most want to match up with in first round. The 3rd seed and HCA would be best but the 6th seed doesn't bother me.
Looking at the standings, Portland is really in no man's land. It really looks like it'll be either the 5th or 3rd seed, with an outside chance of 6th.
I'd rather play the Spurs or Suns than the Rockets or Clippers. I think we'd figure out the Suns in a series, especially with home court. Tough to overcome the 'star power' and 'flop power' of the Rockets and Clips, particularly if we don't have home court.
Sunday March 9th, 2014 Games To Watch (Games Updated Throughout Comments)- Portland @ Houston Root For: Trail Blazers Reason: I'd argue today's game is the biggest of the year. A win and Portland would temporarily gain the tiebreaker over Houston back (Conference Record). A loss and we essentially fall three games behind the Rockets (two in the loss column + no tie-breaker) Oklahoma City @ Los Angeles Lakers Root For: Lakers Reason: I just really don't like OKC. Also, the more wins the Lakers get, the worse their odds become to gain the top pick in the lotto. Dallas vs. Indiana Root For: Mavericks Reason: Just personal preference, but I'd rather see the Mavs in the playoffs than the Grizzlies - not that I think there's a chance we could matchup with either in the first round but a 3/6 series has *some* potential of happening. Golden State vs. Phoenix Root For: Suns Reason: Warriors have 24 losses, while the Suns have 25. That's really what it comes down to.
