This is an update of my previous thread: 38 - 24 with 20 Games to Go - Acceptable? In the five games since that thread, the Blazers have gone 3 - 2, in spite of Brandon Roy missing the first four of those five games - and also playing four of the top teams in the league (Celtics, Hornets, Lakers and Pistons - who came into Portland on a 7-game winning streak). Simply multiplying their current record (22 - 14) times two, would put the team at 44 - 28 with 10 games to play and on pace to win 50 games. Would you be happy with a 50-win season and a 6th or 7th seed in the Western Conference? Again, I'm a little more optimistic than that. The stretch between now and the All-Star game is one of the easiest on the Blazers' schedule. Over that 16 game stretch, 12 of the 16 games against teams that are below 0.500. I expect the team to win at least 12 of the next 16, possibly even one or two more. But, I'll be conservative at call it 12 - 4 between now and the All-Star break. That would put the team at 34 - 18 at the break and on pace for 54 wins. Again, my original pre-season prediction was for 56 - 58 wins. That is still within reach - especially if the team wins 13 or 14 of the next 16 games and goes into the All-Star break at 35 - 17 or 36 - 16. The post All-Star break has 16 home games and 14 road games remaining on the schedule. The last 30 games are also an odd mix of opponents. The Blazers will have a LOT of games left against some of the bottom teams in the league (3 against OKC, 4 against MEM, 2 against LAC, 2 against MIN) and quite a few against some of the top teams in the league (3 against SAS, 2 against LAL), but relatively few games against middle of the road teams. They will also have two more against DEN - including the regular season finale. So, what do you think? Would you be happy with 50 wins? 54? I'm still hoping for 56 - 58 wins and HCA in the 1st round, but even if we "only" win 50 and make the play-offs, I will consider that significant forward progress from last season. BNM
All I want is playoffs, and any win total that will get us there. And I'm satisfied with our record right now.
I just want playoffs, but I do think we have the team to take the division this year though so losing that would be disappointing
BNM- Great post, thank you. Yes, I'd be happy with 6th or 7th seed. As a fan, I want them to have the very best record as possible. We must win and will win more than last season and I'll be glad for that progress, but missing the playoffs would be a HUGE disappointment for me. I want to be contending for the whole thing in a couple years and we won't come close to that until we actually making the fucking playoffs first.
Just get to the playoffs baby. The regular season win total will only matter to me when (if) we're legitimately contending for home court advantage.
I'd be fine with that record, and I think if we had that, we would most likely get to 50 wins and be fighting for that 8th seed. I would be happy with an 8th playoff seed no matter how many wins... but preferably 50+ would be great.
