You know what OKC, Nawlins, SA, Houston, Denver, and Utah all have in common? They all face the unsavory task of playing the Trailblazers. Go Get'em Blazers.
The Blazers need to at least split the first tow games on this road trip or things are going to get awfully tight around the collar. They should go 4-0 in the games after that but they are going to need some space in the standings because after that, there are probably two more losses in the final 4 games. 6-4 should get them the #3 spot which is what I want but that is leaving the door open for someone else.
HUGE win for the Blazers after giving away one to Boston. Beating the Thunder and combined with the Spurs losing, this was a good night for Blazer fans in the standings. GO BLAZERS!!!!!!!!!!
So we would have the tiebreaker with New Orleans even with a loss, as the division leader gets the tiebreaker, even over head-to-head record. However, we beat New Orleans, we'd be tied head to head, which is the 2nd tiebreaker, and we'd hold the 3rd tiebreaker removing benefit of the doubt (3rd tiebreaker for teams that aren't in the same division is conference record). If we could beat them, we'd be 4 ahead of them in the loss column. Even if they WON OUT, if we finished 4-4 afterwards, we'd still beat them out for the 3 seed. We beat NOP on Tuesday, and I see no way that they or OKC can pass us for the 3 seed. I am slightly worried about SAS and MIN. SAS probably has the most realistic chance, but MIN has a very easy schedule down the stretch and right now, would win the tiebreaker with us (division record).
If we could've beaten Boston, It would've meant tonight would've all but locked up the 3 seed. Too bad.
Just wish we could clinch it early. I don't think it'll happen. Need to go 4-1 in the next 5 games because the last 4 are tough, and we could definitely fall 1-3. We need 50 wins for the 3 Seed.
Blazers - - 45-28 next @ Pelicans Thunder - 44-31 next @ Spurs Pelicans - 43-31 next vs Blazers SA Spurs - 43-31 next @Wizards TWolves - 42-32 next vs Grizzlies Utah Jazz- 41-32 now @ Warriors A win @ the Pels would go a long ways towards helping to lock up that #3 spot with tie-breakers. If they could do that with a game or so left and get the starters some rest or at least short minutes would be huge.
Jazz destroying the Warriors who basically sat or without all of their 4 main starters for tonight's game.
Warriors have lost so many games that by the time the Blazers play the Rockets, they may not need to win to keep the #1 seed.
Yeah they won't need to. They are already up 5 games now in the loss column. But my guess is they play hard against us and OKC at home , then take it easy in their last 2 games of the season which are on the road against the lakers and Sac. (back to back)
We've got the 3rd seed I think. Being 3 games better in the loss column with just 9 to go is enough of a cushion to get us over the line. We also have a few easy games coming up after Pelicans, teams below us are all going to still lose a few games so realistically nobody that is below us will finish with less than 33 losses. We won't lose 5 more games from here.
This how I think the season ends Blazers 5-4 rest of Season for 50-32 3rd place Twolves 6-2 rest of season for 48-34 4th Pelicans 5-2 rest of season for 48-34 5th Jazz 6-2 rest of season for 48-34 6th OKC 4-3 rest of season for 48-34 7th Spurs 4-4 rest of season for 47-35 8th So 1st rnd playoffs: 1.) Rockets 8.) Spurs 2.) Warriors 7.) OKC 3.) Blazers 6.) Jazz 4.) Twolves 5.) Pelicans
I hate this. If it works out this way I want us to drop a couple of games on purpose to play Pelicans instead of Jazz.
Portland has 9 games left btw. You're record is right, but 5-3 isn't. I have Portland closing 6-3 51-31, 3rd seed. I have OKC closing 5-2 49-33, 4th/5th/6th I have Jazz closing 7-1 49-33, 4th/5th/6th I have Spurs closing 6-2 49-33, 4th/5th/6th I have Pelicans closing 4-4 47-35 I have Minn closing 3-5 45-37 I don't know the tiebreakers between the three tied teams. Nor do I really want to look them up.
We don't need 50 wins for 3rd seed. 49 is going to be enough, maybe even 48 with a bit of luck. The best anyone below us can do is 51. Few of those teams will even go above 48, let alone reach 50.
