2008-2009 (15-10) @ Los Angeles Lakers L 76-96 San Antonio W 100-99 @ Phoenix L 96-107 @ Utah L 96- 103 Houston W 101 - 99 Minnesota W 97-93 @ Orlando W 106-99 @ Miami W 104-96 @ New Orleans L 82-87 @ Minnesota W 88-83 @ Golden State L 106-111 Chicago W 116-74 @ Sacremento W 117-96 @ Phoenix L 92-102 Sacremento W 91-90 Miami W 106-68 New Orleans W 101-86 @ Detroit W 96-85 @ New York W 104-97 @ Washington W 98-92 @ Boston L 78-93 @ Toronto W 98-97 Orlando L 108-109 @ Utah L 88-92 Los Angeles Clippers L 112-120 2007-2008 (13-12) @ San Antonio L 97-106 @ New Orleans L 93-113 @ Houston L 80-89 vs New Orleans W 93-90 vs Memphis W 110-98 vs Dallas W 91-82 vs Detroit W 102-94 @ Denver L 93-110 @ Philadelphia L 88-92 @ Washington L 90-109 @ Charlotte L 92-101 vs New Jersey L 101-106 vs Sacramento W 87-84 vs Orlando L 74-85 vs Indiana L 89-95 @ Dallas L 80-91 @ San Antonio L 79-100 @ Memphis W 106-105 vs Miami W 112-106 vs Milwaukee W 117-113 @ Utah W 97-89 vs Golden State W 105-95 vs Utah W 99-91 @ Denver W 116-105 vs New Orleans W 88-76 We are 25 games into the season and I was wondering how you felt about this years team compared to last years squad? We didn't have Oden, Batum, Bayless, or Fernandez playing on the 2007-2008 season. Granted this years schedule has been much harder than last years, but we were 8 games into the 13 game winning streak last year at this time. I'm guessing you were feeling pretty good about the Blazers this time last season, have you lost some of that feeling with this season squad? We are 2 games in front of last years win total, but the bulk of the stacked games are behind us now and our win / loss ratio should really kick in to gear now. Thoughts? Concerns? mocking statement?
Feel very good about how we are playing. But in saying that making the playoffs in the West is very difficult. If our team can avoid the roookie wall then we should be just fine for the playoffs. PS- Oden is for real, The defensive presence we need to win the prize.
I'm very happy considering the strength of schedule and the fact we have played without our starting small forward and best pure shooter. We should really make a move in the 2nd half of the season when the schedule is more in our favor. We are the youngest team in the league yet are winning at a .600 clip. We have shown our youth so far, winning games we had NO reason winning and dropping some we probably should have won. No complaints here. I believe we are ahead of schedule.
HCP speaks wisdom. We're definitely ahead of where I thought they'd be at this point (13-12 was where I thought they'd be)... our recent losses seem to come from exhaustion and lack of proper time to practice rather than any sort of systemic problem with the team. That 5 game road trip we went 4-1 on was really an 8-game trip (if you count the old adage that the first home game back is the true last game of the road trip) that we went 4-4 on. As such, I'm not worried; we just ran out of gas. Get these guys some real rest, a couple days to practice, and we'll see some immediate improvement over the last 3 games.
The record is fine, the recent play on the floor is not. Adding Rudy, Oden and Batum has definitly improved our depth. We still have the same old problems on defense that will probably keep us out of the playoffs if we stand pat yet again.
I think any Blazer fan would be happy with our 15-10 record at this point with that brutal start. Hopefully these last few demoralizing losses don't linger too long, especially for such a young team. But I still think we'll make the playoffs, and with a more regular schedule along with rest and practice time, our record can only improve. I'm happy to be tied with Utah right now.
While we could easily be 18-7, I'm still happy with the way we played throughout most of the tough stretch of games this year. Hopefully we'll be able to rebound with this extended period of rest and wreck some havoc again.
I was super happy at this time last year, but somewhat in disbelief. This year I'm almost as happy (recent crappy losses still linger a little), but I get the feeling that this time the record is for real and not just a mirage. All things considered this team has far exceeded my expectations and I can't wait until January/February where they get the soft part of their schedule; I think they have a real chance to close out strong.
The key to making the playoffs is, obviously, to beat the teams that we are competing against. We are 0-2 vs Utah, 0-2 vs Phoenix. The playoff seeds can come down to tie breakers and we won't have a tie breaker over either of those teams in terms of season series. And this is why the two games against Denver at the end of this month are HUGE. We must MUST win 1 of them and 2 would make an important statement. Lose both and our playoff chances aren't good.
