Game Thread Game #59 - BLAZERS @ GRIZZLIES - FEBRUARY 16, 2022 - WEDNESDAY - 5:00 PM (PDT) ROOT SPORTS

My answer to the poll question is yes I'm surprised they're winning but we beat a Lakers team in crisis because they don't fit together, a Knicks team that is no better than us and the defending champs without the guy who is arguably the best player in the game. So, yeah I thought we would have lost those games but I'm still in wait and see mode.

I don't think this team is a contender by any means even if Dame comes back but I definitely wouldn't mind going into the draft after doing our best in the playoffs with the Pelicans pick and all of our future picks available to trade in order to try and make this team better now.

 

I wonder if this streak continues? Yes they have a win streak going.

 

Time to get some losses.

 

Grizzlies are playing tonight so will be the second of a back to back for them, and Ja Morant is listed as questionable.

 

There is no way we win this one is there?

 

Odds are against us, but thats the fuel propelling these guys.

 

Where’s the no option

 

I'm excited for Ant v Ja.

 

Our guys going out there really nothing to loose but go out and have fun. When you have the confidence and believe you always have a chance in any game.

 

I hate it when people shortchange wins because of the opponent. It’s like wins only matter if we beat the Suns who, by the way, we beat by 29 though we were a different team then.

 

We’ve beaten the Grizz twice already and we’re playing better now.

 

^SIGH

 

One win is just as good as the next it doesn't matter where you get them but some wins are more indicative of what a team is capable of than others. These last three wins don't tell us much more than this team's ability to beat middling teams. It's good to know because following the trade I kind of thought we'd struggle against middling teams and only beat the worst teams. It does not tell us if we can beat even second or third tier teams let alone the upper echelon. That's not short changing a win, that's just the way I see it. If we beat the Grizz tonight and they have all of their rotation players available it's no more valuable of a win than the one against the Bucks without Giannis but it is more indicative of what this team can do in the future but it will still just be one game and a four game win streak so I still won't be ready to say that we're now a contender.

 

First of all, its impossible for us to beat the Grizzlies tonight because we play them tomorrow. They play tonight and then they play us tomorrow.

But I sort of agree with Eric on his point though. The Blazers have 3 quality wins in a row and those teams were trying to win. LeBron and Davis wanted to win and the two of them alone should trump whatever else is on these rosters. Middleton was trying to carry the load offensively, he won a title with Jrue but we shut him down.

I don't see you posting a bunch of reasons about why our prior losses had factors assisting the opponent, in that case the Blazers just suck. So why do the wins need to discount our opponent?

 

We’ve already beat the Grizzlies twice and we’re a much better team now than we were then. But the bigger point is HOW we’ve played these last three games. That’s what is “indicative” of how good we are. I mean, we blew out the 73-9 Warriors back in 2016. Did that mean we were contenders?

 

That's the main point. What matters in the big picture is only one thing - the playoffs. The Blazers could sweep the Lakers in years past then get swept in the playoffs.
We could beat the Grizzlies by 20 points then get swept in the playoffs, and vice versa. That's why it would be nice to make the real playoffs this season, to play in a 7 game series. Maybe this team is better than we think, or maybe it'll be swept (or a gentleman's sweep) like seasons past (and everyone can complain we lost our lottery pick). I'm not listening to anyone who says there's no chance to at least compete in the first round. The same ones who would have said we have a 0 percent chance of beating the Lakers, Knicks and Bucks. Those people have completely lost their prediction cred.

 

Chauncey was asked in the post game presser that very question, "Is this sustainable?"
His answer: "I don't know.."
Neither do I, but it is the most fun I've had because of the Blazers since Dame ruined OKC.
I would like a great draft pick, or two, but I no longer want this team to "tank" for it.
You don't fuck around with the Basketball Gods, so I say just keep ballin' guys and lets see what will happen.
Memphis is still my pick to win the west, and lose to Milwaukee in the Finals, so to beat those two on this trip, regardless of who plays, is
nothing shy of spectacular, and worth a pause to re-evaluate.