While I want the Blazers to win a lot because I predicted they would win 55 coming into the season (that was considering Oden to play all season), but I don't think they are going to make it. I am guessing a little bit above .500 ball the rest of the way. Maybe 3 wins for every 2 losses.
That may sound only "a little bit above .500" but that's .600 basketball. Only slightly worse than they have been all season. While .600 basketball isn't unreasonable, I think the schedule is pretty kind the rest of the way. Not many tough road games left, which is the key. So I think they should do better than that, and that's without considering when Oden is back.
Ummm we beat Boston at home too. And we did it without Roy. And the Celtics were healthy. We haven't played LA yet. I'm unimpressed.
Umm, Utah beat Boston without Boozer. And in the following game beat NO by 14. In Portland's following game they lost to NO by 15. No Roy again, but no Boozer again. But anyway, if your not impressed by a 10 game winning streak, I simply don't know what would impress you.
Well, some things to think about. Last year, Portland had a 13 game winning streak. But of that streak, something like 10 of them were at home. So home games kind of inflate winning streaks. Also, Brandon Roy is just slightly more important to the Blazers than Boozer is to the Jazz. And by "slightly", I mean "take Brandon Roy off the Blazers and they might be winning 20 games this year. Take Carlos Boozer off the Jazz and they're still a playoff team".
No doubt. I agree with you about the home games part, but any time a team gets to a double digit win streak it's still significant. You don't exactly fluke that stuff. Just one bad game (and every team has them) out of ten and that streak is snapped. How many teams in a typical season would go for 10+ straight win streaks, regardless of where they're played? Not many.
Houston went on a 22 game win streak last season. The second longest of ALL TIME. But they still didn't get out of the first round. And we went on a 13 game win streak and didn't even make the playoffs. Not impressed in Utah's streak at all. Let's see how they do on these last 20 games, 13 of which are on the road.
Furthermore, we haven't had a streak longer than 6 this season but are a much better team than last year and we have the same record as the Jazz.
Yeah but how many times has any team with T-Mac in it got out of the first round again? And the teams with the first, third and fourth longest streaks of all time went on to win championships I believe. Then two of the three teams tied for fifth with 18 straight got a championship. But that's getting kinda OT, I'm not saying the Jazz will break any of those nor win a championship. But as you said, lets see how they do. Whatever happens, the race to win the NW division should be fun.
Yeah, I hear you. But, I think you mean hurt MORE. Dude has been playing with a hurt hand for much of the season. Hands are overrated.
Yeah, I think Utah is going to take this division. I think we will end up 3rd, sadly. But i'm fine with that. I think we will end up gettin' the 7th spot, which isn't horrible. But 6th would be very nice (unless Utah ends up with the 3rd spot, then i'd rather play San Antonio i think, lol)... Hopefully NO or HOU get the 3rd spot and we can get 6th.
Really? Have you seen them lately? How about Deron Williams? Most of the teams Utah have on their plate are teams that they usually handle, besides @ LAL & @ SA. Also, most of their games left are against East teams.
I don't see Utah losing more than 5-6 games the rest of the way. No way they get to 30 losses, imo. 53-29 at the worst, imo.
Well.. 2 outta 3 aint bad? If we and the Jazz win out, those records are what I predicted..Denver just won some tough, tough games. We may not win the division, but 3rd is an awfully nice consolation prize. HCA at worst I hope!
