Too early to worry about who we face in the playoffs, but it is interesting to me that SA and OKC are currently #7 and #8 in the west. If that holds true I am not sure I want to move up to #2. Of course it will all change many times before the regular season ends, but damn the top 8 as of today are all tough outs in the first round. Not sure it is worth worrying about where we end up. I guess I will just root for a top 4 finish to get the home court in the first round and a top 2 for the 2nd round. It will be hard to catch GS for the #1 seed.
I'm fully down with playing the long game for the remainder of the season. I don't have any concerns about whether or not we'll make the playoffs; what I'm more concerned with is the team being properly prepared to perform in the playoffs. Lower minutes for our starters; more court time for our primary reserves; continual improvement of chemistry within various lineups; solidification of defensive scheme--these are the things I want to see over the final 29.
There really arnt any teams in the west that I look forward to playing in the first round, they are all really tough. The way I see it SA, OKC, LAC, Dallas, Houston and NO are all possibilities and none of them are very appealing besides maybe NO, but only because of inexperience and they are least likely to play us.
I agree. Batum is a key piece so what ever they have to do between now and the playoffs to get his wrist (and head) right needs to be a priority. We can't have passive, bad Nic during a playoff series and have the coaching staff ademantly playing him, waiting for him to come out of it.
We need HCA at least one or two rounds. Tough to get through 3 rounds on the road. But, I kinda feel like we'll finish 4th, get HCA, win our first series, and play SA with HCA after they beat the warriors, and then play OKC with HCA. Wishful thinking, i know , but possible
I don't like tanking for picks and I don't like tanking for first round opponents. You always play to win and whomever you faced was meant to be
This! We gotta get through a juggernaut of a west so it really doesnt matter who steps in front of us and when, you just treat them as the same as the trash you swept out of your way on the path leading up to the playoffs.
I don't so much care about jockeying for a specific opponent, but part of me would like to throw the two remaining PHX games and then whup OKC twice to put them four games behind PHX and completely out of the Playoffs! But then I don't want them in the lottery, either. Can't we just contract them out of the league already?
I'd be surprised if all the first round series don't go 6-7. I think after passing the first round, the second round will be a bit easier.
I think we want to get the highest seed for HCA in latter rounds. Even moving up from the 4th to 3rd seed could net us HCA in the WCF as I could easily see the 1 seed losing in the second round. One unlikely but possibly bizarre scenario would be if we fall down to 6th or 7th but comfortably ahead of OKC. At that point we'd be locked into the 4th seed as the division winner and possibly playing the last few weeks of the season for nothing.
Assuming standings hold still we get Dallas first (Should win in 6) then we'd get Memphis or San Antonio.. Not easier at all lol
I think it will be. There is way more tension in the first round. Every single opponent will be tough in the west. It doesn't matter who we play. I'm talking mental
I think mentally the Blazers are gonna be fine mo matter what. They went through hell last year together, they're prepared and battle tested. The only team that should have a mental block is OKC, outside of Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka they have a bunch of young guys who haven't really been on the big stage (Kanter, Singler, etc.)
I think 3rd in the West is a good spot to be. That is where I see us finishing. Not that i would turn down 2nd or first but... I also don't want us to fall to 5th or lower of course.
However the breakdown I'm selfishly hoping to get Texas teams in all three rounds so I can drive to all the road games. Or in the WCF I'd be ok with OKC as then I'd be willing to make the 8 hour drive. Would be great to give whiny ass bitch Houston a beat down in the playoffs... again.
