Even at #13, we're the 8th-highest ranked team in the West. It's going to be an interesting season... can't wait! Ed O.
On the Lakers: I, for one, wouldn't trade for the Lakers' issues; while they may have the "on paper" better team in the short-term, I much prefer the Blazers prospects for the longer term. Gramps...
I still can't believe we have Oden. it changes everything. Without Oden, the team would be an interesting up-and-coming team like, say, Atlanta or Golden State. Roy/Aldridge/Bayless/Fernandez is a nice group of young players, but doesn't imply championship. Adding one of the best center prospects ever takes it from "nice young core" to "potentially great young core." It's been well over a year since Portland realized they'd get Oden (going back to last year's draft lottery), but in some sense it still hasn't totally sunk in.
I think that many Bulls fans would have said the same thing about the Spurs a couple of years ago. I love the Blazers' future... love it. But the Lakers should be competing for a title this year and for the next several. Portland's still gotta get into the playoffs. I wouldn't trade spots with the Blazers if I were a Lakers fan... Ed O.
Agreed. Totally. Once we see Oden get a game or two under his belt, win or lose I think that I will feel better than I have about this team in a LONG time. Ed O.
Agreed. However, we aren't Laker fans (well, except for DaRizzle) and thus, I wouldn't expect any of us to trade spots with them either. I expect some great rivalry over the next few years with both teams having opportunity to both crow and eat crow. By the way Ed, has anyone told you that you look like Jim Carrey in the current picture you have up there? Gramps...
I think 13th is about right for the Blazers maybe we could be couple higher at the most. I do think a couple of the teams ahead of us are questionable and one or two behind us could also be a little higher. I would put us maybe at 11 or 12 but lets hope we move up as the year goes along.
I too find myself forgetting just what having a healthy Greg Oden will mean for the franchise. People think he'll struggle, and while he certainly may take some time to adapt, the fact remains that there are a handful of players in the entire league who can match him physically. Shaq, Yao, Howard, Stoudemire, possibly Bynum, although I don't think Bynum has near the strength of Oden. He will be a lopsided mismatch in almost every game the Blazers play. That alone should be worth an extra ten wins.
My thoughts exactly sir. That said, the lakers are probably going to finish higher than us and that's probably Stein's point.
It's a fair enough ranking to start and looking at the first 1/4 or the Blazers season I think it's also a fair expectation that we'll see them dip into the high teens to low twenties and they'll be lucky to stand at .500 by the time 20 games are out of the way. Of course if they do start slow out of the blocks and then recover in December-January, we'll get to endure the whole "The Blazers sure seem to have come out of nowhere, when it looked like their season was on the brink of slipping away, blah, blah, blah." Power rankings suck.
