All 4 guys on the Starters picked the Rockets

Leigh Ellis picked them in 5. The others picked them in 6. Geez.

 

If they can't count on us to pick them, who do they have??

I'm calling it. Blazers in 6.

 

I hope so. I'm scared about this series. I hate that we don't have HCA. I'm sick of losing in the first round. Really really sick of it. We have to win game 1. We just have to win game 1.

 

Would you settle for game 2?

 

If we win game 1, hell yeah. I know none of the first three games are must win, but I just want to get off to a strong start. We should've fucking beaten Phoenix in 2010. We had a 1-0 lead and they switched Nash on to Batum. And we didn't exploit it. Fuck!!

 

I would feel way better if we win one of the first two games. But, what really scares me is the way the Blazers freeze up sometimes on their home court, like there is too much expectation.

Playoff series are weird things and they can change in strange ways. When the Blazers beat the heavily favored 76ers in the finals they got beat pretty bad in the first two games in Philly and then just crushed them back in Portland and the 76ers never seemed to recover from that. I'm hoping we do a similar thing to Houston, demoralize them with ball movement and team play and beat them in 5 games.

 

Yeah, not a lot of Blazer love on the starters this season. They love Memphis, Phoenix and Golden State. I preferred the Basketball Jones to the new format.

 

Blazers always will come into these games as underdogs in the media. It's just what we do!

 

The guys who rely on social media popularity to stay in business didn't pick the small market/underdog teams? I'm amazed

 

Perfect. We play better with a chip. Start of the year was the same way. Lets get it. We got them right where we want them.

 

So?

 

I love listening to the Starters and have listened to them for almost 5 years. They are not a show, or a podcast, to listen to if you want indepth analysis on the Blazers. They watch a lot of teams but mostly seem to focus on top teams and east teams, Blazers get overlooked and have been for the entire time i'v listened to the show. Its fine with me, I enjoy their show but their lack of Blazer coverage or even attempting to watch Blazer games is annoying but something i'v easily overlooked since I enjoy the rest of the show.
Also in 2011 I believe they all picked us to beat the Mavs. Talking about how picked who to win series is fun but its not something to get overly excited or angry about since analysts have nothing to do with how the Players are going to come out and play.

 

:MARIS61:

 

It's the NBA. The smart money is on (1) home court advantage, (2) the star system and biased officiating, and (3) market size plus national appeal. The Rockets win all three.

That's why I'm not putting any money on it. Just my heart.

Blazers in 6.

 

Yeah, these were the same experts who picked Portland 9 or 10 in the West. They aren't the ones playing.

FWIW, the SF Chronicle said Blazers in 7.

 

ESPN's playoff panel has us with only 3 picking us to win. Brooklyn(you know that big market team) are the only underdogs that the majority picked to win.

 

I don't much care about prognostications; I care about the games. I say we keep our mouths shut, let others do the talking, give all the respect in the world to Houston and then kick the shit out of them.

 

Those guys are idiots. If they're The Starters, I'd hate to see The Bench.

BNM

 

I don't get why people are upset the Rockets are favored. They should be.

We just have to prove them wrong. Let our play do the talking.