As Kingspeed pointed out, we are in 5th place and 2 1/2 games from 2nd! However, I am much more of a pessimist. To me, we are still only 2 "games ahead of 9th", and out of the playoffs. I want to revel in a division race with Denver and Utah, but I can't until we distance ourselves from 9th place (currently Dallas). However, there is room for optimism because Dallas has lost 4 in a row and their schedule is tough for the next few games: Utah @philly @milwaukee Detroit Boston Our schedule for the next 5 games is @charlotte Milwaukee Cleveland Washington @Clippers I'll be comfortable when we're 5 gao9. It's possible to happen soon, but it hasn't happened yet. Are you an optimist like Eric, or a pessimist like me?
I could see us going 4-1 during this stretch. The playoff race looks like it will come down to the last game of the season!
I guess I'm neither pessimistic nor optimistic. I see both things (being 2.5 games from the 2 seed and 2 games from ninth place) as equally valid and important. Basically, a bunch of quality teams are bunched together at the top and Portland is one of them. That's great that Portland is already one of the second-tier teams (first tier being Cleveland, Boston and LAL). But that doesn't mean Portland is safely into the playoffs. They're good and they just have to keep playing well. I do think Dallas will fall off in the second half. So I do think Portland will make the playoffs. But they can't and shouldn't feel secure.
Dallas is really struggling lately. They've got no Howard and no Stackhouse. They're starting Gerald Green and Antoine Wright? Yuck... and Kidd can't hit the ocean right now. I'm hopeful they start folding...
