So, here we are. 20 games in.

What do you think about this team? People say 20 games is a good starting gauge to assess the team. What's going good, what can be improved? Discuss.

 

We are legit... We will be one of the best defense in the league by season's end. We have a shot at the title

 

@TrailBlazersPR

"Portland has won at least 16 of its first 20 games for the fifth time in franchise history (2013-14, 1998-99, 1990-91, 1977-78)."

 

I dont like the fact that in our marquee games, we're under .500. Everything else is gravy.

 

define marquee... because, injuries to other teams or not, we're 4-3 against marquee teams as defined by superstars + preseason expectations... now whether they have injuries to me doesn't take away that it's still a marquee matchup by name. still gotta win them.

I say OKC, gs, chicago, memphis, LAC, Dallas, and cleveland are the marquee matchups so far.

if you just take away okc, the only marquee team with real injuries, we're 3-3. Still .500. though i suppose you can count chicago in that as well... but rose never plays anyway, and gasol has never impressed me. So him being in or out doesn't matter.

 

I wouldnt count Cleveland, they were crap for the first part of the season, which makes us 2-3 and 2-2 at home.

 

why not? they had the best player in the world and we beat them. not our fault they sucked... or maybe it was. To me, they absolutely count.

 

Then by your definition, GS hasn't either. Might as well put Memphis in there too since they haven't fared well against these "so called" marquee teams.

 

They lost to the Jazz and the Knicks in their first four games.......but semantics, whether we're under .500 or .500 still bothers me

 

I want them to go 16-4 in their LAST 20 games.

 

Memphis is 3-2

Houston, Clips, Portland
Houston, SA

Golden State is 2-1

Clips, Rockets
SA

 

Exactly! We have a better record

Cleveland, Dallas, Chicago
Memphis, golden state (which we should have won), clips

 

I just wanna be 60-22

 

So at best we're 3-3 which is not better (I will continue to contend that Cleveland wasn't marquee)

 

And I will continue to contend that Golden State shouldn't have beat us. I can play this game too. And with that, Golden State would be 3-3 and we would be 3-2

 

Lol you cant apply that same logic to a loss... but whatever you'd like i guess

 

Excuse me? That makes absolutely no sense! If you nullify a win because the team sucked (having a complete healthy roster mind you), then I can very well use the robbing of our win against Golden State because the refs. They ignored Batum's time out, fouled Matthews on the inbound, then overruled the ball out of bounds call against Golden State when the ball was inconclusive.

 

I like you Mags, and your positivity, but i was trying to simply answer the OP as to where my mindset was about the team. Carry on.