It seems like nobody is talking about the 5th seed. I know we have a tough schedule, but look at the next few games for Denver...... Lakers Thunder Mavs Thunder They could easily lose all 4! This time of year is crazy!!!!
That would be tremendous, but that NO really hurt our chances. We're three back in the loss column. We'd have to essentially win the rest of our games and Denver would have to go on a real slide. I like your optimism, and hope you're right!
HCP, I just checked the schedule and now think you may be on to something. If everything goes according to record, DEN should end the season 3-4. Sun, Apr 3 @ Los Angeles Lakers Tue, Apr 5 vs Oklahoma City Wed, Apr 6 @ Dallas Fri, Apr 8 @ Oklahoma City Sat, Apr 9 vs Minnesota Mon, Apr 11 vs Golden State Wed, Apr 13 @ Utah We may get lucky and they could go 2-5, but we would have to finish the season ON FIRE.
The only game in question for the Blazers imo is the Lakers game. I think there's a serious chance they win all of their other games. No hard road games. I'm pretty confident the Blazers end up as at least the 6th seed.
We do have two back-to-backs, and for some reason GS messes with our serenity. There's also no denying the UTA hate factor.
Yeah, one of the b2b's is against the Lakers which is why it's the one game in question left for me. Utah is 4-11 in their last 15 and are out of the playoff race. They're done. And big surprise, Devin Harris is hurt. Their roster is kind of garbage at this point and their record shows it. Final game against GS could be tough since it's a b2b, but if the Blazers need that game they'll win it. I don't think playing down to the competition will be a problem in that game. NO/Hou will get the 8th seed. It's down to Mem/Por for the 6th and Memphis has a pretty easy schedule left. The two teams will meet and lucky for the Blazers the game will be in Portland and the Blazers will have essentially 4 days to prepare for the game. This game could determine who gets the spot and I'll take the Blazers in a big game at home every single time.
I think the Dallas game on Sunday will be huge. Golden State seems to play us pretty well, so those games actually worry me.
I don't see it happening, and I don't really WANT it to happen either because I prefer a matchup vs. DAL rather than one vs. OKC.
Funny how we (as a generic fan base) can go from the lows of losing to the Zombie Sonics and the Zombie Hornets, and therefore barely making the playoffs and being happy with the 8th, to beating the Zombie Sonics and a thread about catching Denver for the 5th.
The Blazers would have to virtually win out to have a remote shot at the 5th seed, and I just don't see it happening. After the clutch win against OKC, I am more optimistic that the Blazers can manage the 6th or 7th spot (and thus avoid the Lakers in the first round, since they're all but guaranteed to overtake the tailspin Spurs at this point). But, I see lots of very lose-able games in Portland's future: The Mavericks will bring their "A" game against Portland, knowing the Blazers are a likely first round opponent. Two games against Golden State - and the Warriors are an unpredictable team that can easily catch fire from the field and outscore teams. Portland should win both, but I have a sinking feeling one will be an L. At Utah? I know the Jazz are on a downward slide, but Salt Lake is a rough place to play. The next two home games could be brutal - the Grizzlies and Lakers are two of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, and if they're still fighting for playoff position come the last week of the season, these two games will be really tough. I'd like to think the Blazers can hold homecourt against all those opponents and win at Golden State and Utah, but I don't see Portland making up much ground, unless teams start playing worse than they've been playing.
The game tomorrow against the Mavs will be tough. It's tough to beat a good team twice in a row within a couple weeks. GS and the Lakers will be tough too.
The one thing we have going for us tomorrow is that the Mavs will get to their hotel here around 2AM! Hope the W's can keep it close so Dirk and the boys don't get much rest.
If everything goes as planned Denver will lose the 3 games they will be huge dogs in (@ the Lakers, @ Dallas and @ OKC). Then they will split those 50/50 games and at least lose one of those games against OKC at home or @ the Jazz. Portland will be favored in all of their final 6 games and slated to go 6-0 in those remaining games, but will only need to go 5-1 in order to secure the 5th seed, so we actually have a 1 game buffer so long as Denver does as they're supposed to.
I'm going to assume that both the Blazers and Nuggets win at Utah, giving Denver a 4-3 record in their last seven. I don't think there's much chance that the Blazers will go on a 6-0 run to finish the season. Basically, I think the Nuggets' 4-3 run to finish will mean they'll finish 5th at 50-32. The Blazers' 5-1 (optimistic) run will be good enough for a 49-33 record, and 6th. The Grizzlies will finish 4-1 (with the only loss coming on the road against the Blazers), with a 48-34 record, and the 7th spot. Finally, the Hornets will finish 4-2 (though I could easily see them going 3-3, with a loss at home to the Rockets), with a record of 47-35, and the 8th spot. I think it's well within the range of possibility that the Blazers won't be able to manage a 5-1 run. That (next-to) last game against the Grizzlies is shaping up to be huge.
5, 6, or 8. The only thing I wouldn't like is the 7th seed, with the Lakers being the 2nd seed. I'd deliberately lose the last game of the year against Memphis if it meant playing SAS over the Lakers.
