...the Blazers would have beat the Spurs or Hornets? Or, the Mavs, or perhaps even the Nuggets? I mean, before the playoffs began, and the Blazers got the Rockets, most of the pundits, and fans alike, were like, 'Oh, geez, the is is gonna be a matchup nightmare for the Blazers.' And, well, OK, it was. The Blazers got who they got, and what they got. Reality bites, right? Oh, and before all you experts start jivin' about breaking up the team, please remember this......with Martell on this team, I believe there's a strong chance the Blazers win one of those close games in Houston. At least, Blakey would have had another option to pass to instead of jacking up that ill-advised trey in Game 3. We'd all now be talking about Game 7. OK, this is not yet another one of those "Bake it!" posts, as much as it's a reiteration that the team is still very much on the right path in getting where they want/need to be to win a championship. It's a post in response to all the cryin' whiny-butts who are somehow disgusted with the efforts and/or results of the disappointing playoff dispatching at the hands of the Rockets. Relax, take a deep breath and know that this team/organization is still in wonderful hands. Go Blazers!
We would have beat the Spurs or Hornets and maybe Utah. Houston was simply the worst matchup possible, which is why I was laughing when people said they aren't scared of HOuston at all because we can beat anyone right now. Everything Houston has is our weakness... from their big man, jump shooting bigs, quick PG, perimeter defenders and so on. I'd rather have played LA, tbh. That would have gone to 7.
Yeah, I held out hope against all hopes that the Blazers could have somehow "stole" the series from the Rockets, but it wasn't to be. Nonetheless.............
Yes, it is disappointing how many things just didn't pan out for us in that last week of the regular season, despite our amazing finish. Personally, I plan to blame everything on James Posey, that lousy choker...
Fuck James Posey. One fucking free throw you ..... And I can't believe FInley's shot counted as well after the shot-clock... either one would have gotten us the 3 seed... play New Orleans most likely.... and get out of LAs and Houstons bracket until the WCF... Oh well. Life goes on.
Im trying (TRYING) not be bitter about Mr James fucking Posey and the stupid ass refs that let Finleys shot count but its not going well for me. I guess it worked out the way it was meant to but DAMN! I have to agree there is NO doubt in my mind that we would have beat NOH or SAS for that matter. Well lessons should be taken from this that you have to play hard every game because even one game cost us dearly this year. So for that matter fuck Hedo Turkurlu too for his banked 3 pointers at the buzzer in the Rose Garden. Not that this was the only game but this one sticks in my head a little more.
I'd like to think we'd have beat those teams but when I see how things went against Houston I wonder if we'd have beaten anyone.
After Dallas, Houston was the worst possible post season opponent. I knew Portland was going to have a very hard time with that team, and they did. I actually thought Houston would do a better job of containing Roy. I didn't expect Von Fucking Wafer to dominate Outlaw and Rudy. Other then those things, it went about the way I thought it would.
First, to set the record straight. I watched the infamous Sacramento/San Antonio game. Yes, it was a bad call. But calling it a shot clock violation would simply have sent the game into overtime. San Antonio might well have won. With no alternate universe, we don't know, but the Kings were the worst team in the NBA this year. Their OT victory was hardly a guarantee. But that is aside from the main point. Yes, the Rockets were a tough match-up. Yes, the Blazers have a lot to be proud of. But.... If you want to be a championship team, you have to be ready to face anyone. The Bulls won 6 titles against 5 Western Conference opponents. The Blazers need to develop the attitude - and of course have the horses to back it up - that they don't give a damn if they play the Rockets or the Horse and Buggies, they'll beat their butts any day and twice on Sunday.
That's just it. We would have beaten Utah, SA, NO, and probably taken the Lakers to game 7. We earned home court advantage, tied for the 2nd best record in the West, and what did we earn? Probably the worst match up possible. If the dice had fallen differently, and we beat the Hornets, then lost in 7 to LA in the 2nd round, we'd probably all be singing a different tune.
I'm not sure that we would have beaten anybody. We clearly weren't prepared in game 1 and that is what cost us the series. You have to protect your home court in the playoffs.
I doubt we could have beat Dallas. Jazz, Hornets, and Spurs would have been best matchups. The way Denver spanked the Hornets, I doubt we would have beat them without homecourt advantage. Next year will be different story. It's beyond me to explain that first Houston game. How could we not be ready? They knew it was going to be tough matchup but they came out like it was just another game. It was embarrassing.
That's something like saying you should 'know' skydiving is going to be a certain way ... doing is knowing, you can't be told about it and know what it's like. This team did pretty much what you'd expect.
We probably would have beat the Spurs, Jazz, and Hornets. 50/50 chance we would have beat the Mavs. Probably would have lost to the Lakers and Nuggets. 5th in the West isn't so bad in my book. Certainly much higher than my expectations.
There was NO DOUBT we would've beaten New Orleans or San Antonio. Houston, I remember, was sitting in the No. 2 seed in the West for quite awhile before they went into a small tailspin to fall to fifth. They were arguably the second or third best team in the West who just unfortunately fell to fifth.
yah, we lost this game b/c our fucking bench was a disaster. Aaron brooks, Von Wafer, Landry, Lowry, owned all of our players except Roy and LMA. Period, we need trades to be better next season. Outlaw in 6 years, showed us nothing but choke. Rudy i give a pass to, b/c he's a rookie in the NBA, same with Batum. Blake should be our back-up next year, even though he was solid, we can't afford to get smoked on the perimeter next year by quicker guards..... And Oden, well I dont know what to say....he just needs more time, more experience, and more conditioning. other than that, Frye can go, Sav and Ruffin can go. Sergio i'd like to see be a backup to Bayless. Free B-rex for starters next year.
by the way, Von Fucking Wafer? Are you kidding me? The guy was a Blazer last year.... what the fuck! I would have rather had him than Outlaw, Blake and Rudy in the playoffs..... I love Rudy, but god damn Wafer OWNED us.
Huh?? Other than last night's travesty, we lost by one and three points in Houston. It was a competitive series overall. Nothing to be ashamed of, or "wonder if we'd have beaten anyone."
