the refs suck in Golden State. I saw Luka horse collared and yanked down by Looney, just so the Warriors can win a stupid game. FAKE good team. Whatever makes the NBA the big bucks I suppose?
ya... a bit generous for me. I say 28 wins. I also know we'll be closely monitored by the league late in the year, but our FO is MVP at tanking.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Portland squeeze into the playoffs. I genuinely believe that our teenage PG may come in and play like he’s been in the league for 3-4 years.
some years I’m overly optimistic, others pessimistic. I knew we’d suck last year, even though we started off looking like a contender. I’m higher on our young core to produce more quickly than I probably should be. I was a big Scoot fan watching him in the g League the last two years. He was pretty advanced considering the players around him were all 3-6 years older. Doesn’t mean it translates next year, but it will eventually.
I expect Scoot to play like a vet. The reason being he doesn't have tunnel vision and can make plays others aren't capable of.
My goal is now 35. Still need to see huge improvements in Shae and ideally Ayton. Of course, Scoot has to fulfil expectations.
Still waiting to see what Brogan brings in, but I think the roster will surprise. Not many players left who relied on Dame for their paycheck, so there won't be as much whiplash as there could be. The league might reward us for sending Dame to the Eastern Conference by reffing us more fairly this year. I'll say 38 wins and barely missing the playoffs.
yeah, somewhere around 35 wins would be solid, if Scoot is as good/better than expected could be more, gonna be interesting how much improved the defense is and how Chauncy coaches a group like this
To me, the biggest question is Chauncey Billups. He's done well with a more young, uptempo unit so I'm hoping it goes well. If he fucks around with Shaedon Sharpe I want him gone, like the Blazer coach who fell off his chair whom Drexler didn't like. Wait for it....
Isn't Tonya Harding a Blazer fan? Perhaps she can get a few of her friends to swing some pipes at the legs of the Warriors?
When it comes to expectations, I've already renewed my NBA League Pass. I don't care a whit about our record. I'm just excited to see how this group plays together. It will be fun!
I posted this elsewhere but it's worth repeating here to counter all the gloom and doom predictions for the Warriors this season... Vegas oddsmakers currently have them the 6th most likely to win the title in 23-24. https://www.vegasinsider.com/nba/odds/futures/ of course they could suffer a rash of injuries and suck, they are an older team after all. If that doesn't happen they should make the playoffs and Portland will get a crummy pick in a draft that seems to lack star power. STOMP
35 wins would be a solid number to aim for. That still puts us in the 5th-6th highest odds for the #1 again this year.
Yeah I was just looking through the entire schedule. Most of the teams that we play 3-4 times a year (WC teams) are looking to make the playoffs. Most of the teams that are in our level of talent are in the east. ATL, CHI, TOR, IND, ORL, CHA, DET, we only play these teams twice a year, and they all be settling around the 35 win mark just due to the fact that the talent difference between each team is marginal. I think 30 wins is likely, 35 wins is optimistic, anything close to 38-40 wins is an overachieving season. We would probably have around the 5th best odds with 30 wins, anywhere from the 6th to 9th best odds with 35ish wins. But with possible trades to Ant and/or Grant, or us being over precautious with a small injury to Scoot or Shae, we could actually go full tank and try to out-tank the Rockets for what could be the 4th worst record, which ensures the best possible odds at the #1 pick.
‘24-‘25 Blazers Roster: Scoot/Ant/Lebron Ant/Sharpe/Rupert/Bronny Sharpe/Lebron/Kris Lebron/Sarr/Walker DA/Williams/Sarr
The only way GS tanks, is if they have a bunch of injuries early on and a top 4 pick is probable. They don't have a frp guaranteed. So, why tank unless it's an obvious bottom of the cellar year from the very beginning? Obviously, they are a playoff team with their current roster right now.
