Most of us have said we'd be happy with a playoff birth this season. This leads to the next logical question; is there a team we could realistically beat in a seven game series? Who would we want to be matched up against? Assuming the standings stay the way they are: Lakers - Can we beat the refs in a seven game series? Hornets - Both teams usually win at home. They would have home court so we would probably lose. San Antonio - This is a team I think we could beat. I think we've been built to matchup with this team. Denver - I would hate to play the nuggets unless we had homecourt. Phoenix - Historically we haven't played well against them these last few years. Probably wouldn't bode well. Houston - We could matchup well with them, and I would love to see Yao and Oden go at it. Utah - We suck in Salt Lake, but at home we would have a chance. Of these teams, I think we only really have a shot at beating the Nuggets and the Jazz if we have homecourt. I think Phoenix and San Antonio would just out-veteran us, and the Lakers would ref us to death. The Hornets and Rockets are a bit of a question mark at this point. I think we match up well with them though. Thoughts?
Hornets are starting to look better and they have experience from last year's playoffs. They'd be a tough out. The Rockets and Suns can be beat and the Jazz have been know to lay an egg and have had loads of injuries so far this year. They are beatable as well. I have faith in the Spurs come playoff time and the Lakers are playing great ball so they'd be a "LOL-not likely" Denver will be a different team for this years playoffs because of Billups so they could be scary for anyone to face. It'll come down to the matchups for the Blazers likely hood of advancing.
The matchup... and more importantly the HCA. If they're playing Denver IN Denver... bad news. NOR in NOR... not good. I'm holding out hope that they can fight their way into the 4th spot... but that would probably be a little too much to ask.
Plenty of Basketball left to be played and it's possible to catch Denver for the division. If not there are a lot of teams with 21-24 wins. It all depends on who gets hot. Lakers will have home court throughout. Expect the Hornets and Spurs to improve. The hard ones to figure are the Rockets and Suns IMO. Unless the Mavs make a move.. they'll fade or struggle for the 8th spot and a free thumping from the Lakers.
I think the Rockets are more confusing than the Suns. If Houston ever figures itself out, and we've been saying that for years, they'll be scary. McGrady, Yao, and Artest are a really good trio. I'm just not convinced those three can put it together.
First of all, I dig your avatar. Makes me want to slap on a Darkwing Duck one for myself. I'd have to say that the Rockets and Spurs would be the best matchups for us. Like you mentioned, both Utah and Denver usually handle us on their home courts so I'd be more than a little nervous taking on either of them. The Hornets could be a fun series with what happened between Chandler and Pryz (and the claims of Joel being a dirty player by their head coach). Might still be a little animosity there.
The Hornets could be the team we're fighting for the WCF for the next decade. Paul, West, and Chandler are a nice trio. I would love to see them in the playoffs and see who is the stronger franchise. Let's get dangerous!
After the email, could we beat the league and it's refs in any series? Very few teams do well their first year in. I think with this team as is, IF we make the playoffs it would be tough to advance against a team that has been there before.
You're first point is an interesting conspiracy theory. Let's just hope that the memo from the league that instructs the refs to job the Blazers accidentally ends up being sorted as junkmail. I completely agree with your second point however. Our lack of experience will likely be our downfall if we make the playoffs, but I'll still be excited because it's another huge step forward in this squad's development.
You know, I agree with you MM, but this team has depth. That could really be an advantage in a seven game series, especially against a team like the Suns or Spurs. Plus, who did the Hornets have last season on their roster with experience? I don't think experience is necessarily the end-all, be-all.
only teams that own us are phoenix and utah, and we could beat either. lakers kill us at home, we kill them on the road, we would just need to sneak one out of la.
Don't forget, you have to ignore the regular season when playing a vet team like the Spurs.. they play MUCH differently come playoff time. Even if you swept them in the regular season, it's a different story with them in the playoffs.
I don't think we could advance out of the first round this year with the team as constructed, and the rotation the same. But I also think no team would want to see us in the first round. Edit - unless we somehow ended up playing Dallas in the 1st round. I think we could probably beat Dallas in 7.
The Blazers can beat most of those teams if they play the right way: From the inside-out. If they play live by the 3, die by the 3, then it will be a short series.
