60 wins. We make WCF, and it depends from there. I don't know that we beat the L*kers if a) they have HCA and/or b) Stern wants K*be vs. Superfriends.
Man, so much depends on the health of our players. Without any injures? 58 wins. With some injuries? 50 wins.
54 wins, baby! We'll have a bounce back year. I think we might start off slow (due to the absence of Oden and Joel) and then really ramp up later in the season.
59 wins and we upset the Lakers in the WCF. This is the year this team gets over the hump. There will be injuries, but nothing like last season - and the roster is better suited to overcoming the injuries this year. This team now has a very good mix of vets, guys entering their prime and youth. In those terms, this is the best balanced roster we've had since the 2000 WCF. Like that team we are neither too young, nor too old. If only Whitsitt would have kept that team together for a couple more years rather than panicking after one bad quarter and making stupid trades that closed that team's championship window prematurely. Depth has been added where needed and thinned where necessary. A four man rotation up front of Camby, Oden, Przybilla and Aldridge gives the Blazers a HUGE front line with great defense and rebounding. As long as we have three of the four healthy entering the post season, we'll be tough to beat. If all four are healthy, we'll be unstoppable. I think people are underestimating the imtpact of adding Wes Matthews. He's a much better match for this team than Jerryd Bayless. He's much more versatile, bigger, a better 3-point shooter and a much better defender. Armon Johnson also brings defense to the back-up PG spot for the first time since we had Greg Anthony. And, defense is one of the big reason why I see this team finally having success in the post season. With Camby, Oden and Przybilla, the Blazers can dominate the paint defensively and dominate the boards. And, with Batum, Matthews and Armon Johnson, they can also lock down the perimeter, which is something they couldn't do in the past. So, improved roster balance, a good mix of veterans, players in their prime and youth, plus much improved defense all combine to make me very optimistic about this team. BNM
I think I'm most excited to see how Matthews, Batum, Camby, Johnson, and Oden affect our overall defense. I think those four will really lock some shit down. Imagine those five on the floor together....
54 Wins 2nd seed in the West NW title. WCF and it all depends on how healthy we are if we get to the finals.
A few months ago when I thought Oden would be healthy for the full season I had it at 61 wins. Since then we added Matthews, but Oden clearly isn't going to be up to 100% until December at the very earliest. But I still think this team looks fantastic. 58 wins and we lose in the WCF to LA.
55 wins, a whole ton of hope and a first round exit in the playoffs followed by Nate getting kicked to the curb.
Because for the last 20 years they have had NO inside presence and now they might arguably have the most!
thats pretty much my take... 60+ wins then I expect Stern to play favorites in the postseason. A key injury or two would seem necessary to derail the Fuhrer's marketing plans STOMP
Kind of giving Johnson some credit a bit early are we? Also, while that unit is out there, who is going to score for Portland?
The winner! You don't win anything but a rep for keeping it real. I sure hope your wrong about losing in the 1st round. Turns out we were a pretty optimistic bunch at the start of the season. This bump is a little late, but I just thought about it tonight. Go Blazers
Don't rep me! I had the Jazz with the fourth seed!! LOL! Though who would have predicted no Jerry Sloan and trading Deron away at the deadline? Crazy.
