So NOW do you understand what I'm talking about??? We are a better team this year.

The whole thread has been about being better this year than last year.

 

I think his point is this: the LA-led teams, which had remarkable continuity going back many seasons, traditionally started hot and slumped into the playoffs. This year's model seems to be doing the opposite, though we'll have to just see if it's true.

 

Two years ago provides even more interesting context, with hints of a pattern in the LA/Dame teams.

The 2013-14 team was 31-9 on January 18, then proceeded to go 23-19 the rest of the way.
The 2014-15 team was 30-11 on January 18th, and went 21-20 to end the season.
The 2015-16 team was 19-25 on January 18, and has so far gone 10-2 since.

 

Iv'e already made enough conversation on this without trying to figure out where his next move will go. Don't have the time to worry about KS and the whole thought process. My opinion is known and he is welcome to his.
Go Blazers!

 

So we've established we are a better team , to truly establish if we are better overall it will come down to our road performance, last year we dominated the East.

Go Blazers!

 

Dude, you are wrong. Read my post. TWO SEASONS AGO, we finished the season 9-1.

 

Yep. And if you take out that 9-1 finish in 2014, we actually played 14-18 ball for what is more than a third of the season. We almost missed the playoffs. It was sad. As for last year, we were 30-8 at one point. Including playoffs, we went 22-27 the rest of the way. That means for much more than half of the year, we were a sub 500 team. As for Wes going down, we were already playing badly before he went down and we should've been fine with two All Stars and a respectable substitute in Afflalo but we completely collapsed. Our current team doesn't have Mr Heart and Soul and we've won 15 of our last 18 games. The bottom line is Dame/CJ is better than Aldridge/Dame and we are deeper this year. Last year's team finished 6th in West. This year's team is 6th in West and playing better down the stretch.

 

I guess it's all in the way you look at it. Go three years back. They over achieved with no center. Then they picked up Rolo two years ago and improved 20 wins with an awesome 9-1 run to end a season and a win in the first round against a highly favored Houston team. Then last year they were on a pace to go to the western conference finals until Wes went down.

See that is your opinion. Now you are trying to say they always wilt down the stretch. And now look at the schedule i put up there. They were not playing badly when Wes went down. They had a tough run when Rolo went out for 2 weeks and they lost a couple when Aldridge dislocated his thumb but other than that like i said they were 41-19.
Now as far as Dame/CJ being better than Dame/LMA??? I totally agree. This is going to be fun. I also agree that This team is showing lots and lots of heart. They are position by position deeper and the bench is producing better. Not only is Dame and CJ going to be fun but i think we have a huge pick up in Plumlee and Harkless.
Now i am going to continue to keep my expectation at bay. They have what might be a season destroyer of a month coming up. Also going .500 ball the rest of the way gets them at 43 wins? (That is off the top of my head) Is that good enough to make the playoffs this year? I think it will take 45-46 wins. Lets hope they can do it.

 

Go something something...

 

Don't mind if I do!

 

Last year's Blazers: 6th best record in West
This year's Blazers: 6th best record in West

Difference is this year's team is growing and surging.

 

1) Rockets weren't highly favored. We had the same record as them.

2) We were .500 in the last 22 games before Wes got hurt.

 

.500 because Rolo went down for 2 weeks from the 14th of Jan to the 31st of Jan. Again you are hand picking stats. Fact remains they were 41-19 and they had won 5 in a row and were 9-3 over the last 12. See how that works?

And yes by every non-delusional account the Rock-etts were favored in that series only to run into a miracle shot by Dame to keep it from going back to Houston. If he misses that shot do you really think they get a win in Houston on a game 7? Really?

 

Last year's team: 6th in West and sputtering
This year's team: 6th in West and rising

 

If you think 1-3 in the last 4 and what will be 1-4 in the last 5 rising then you truly are more optimistic than I.

 

Big picture, dude. We have won 15 of our last 20 games and have risen from 9th to 6th. Tonight, we went up a full game on Dallas. The trend is going UP while the last two seasons, we were falling at this time of the year.