Game Thread GAME# 38: LAKERS @ BLAZERS - JANUARY 5, 2017 - THURSDAY, 7:30 PM (PDT), TNT & CSNNW

None of these teams.

The Trail Blazers biggest threat to edge them out, is themselves.

Last year proves that they have the ability, it's just a matter of young players overcoming the pressure of expectation.

That's all this season is, so far.

Last season, everyone expected us to be in the bottom three in the league, and the players thrived in proving them wrong.

This season, everyone picked us to make the playoffs; and the second youngest roster in the NBA, is feeling the pressure of living up to expectations.

They are struggling under that pressure so far, but we're not even half way through the season, and we've had a tough schedule; there's a lot of time left for the players to respond.

 

Agreed. Our biggest opponent is ourselves. No reason why any of those teams battling for the 8th should win it and not us.

 

It's not a question of 8th seed is a question of how high we climb. Should be a game or two above .500 at the all start break. Should should finish in the 46-36, good for 6th and a first round matchup with the Rockets.

 

I'd like to earn a 1st round matchup with the Rockets. They're on fire right now, but out of the top 4 in the west, I think we could give them a pretty good fight. I really don't think we got much for GS, Spurs, or the Clippers. Unfortunately I feel were locked in at #8 at this point. To win 46 games, well need to go 31-14 the rest of the way. How?

 

The whole, 'one of the youngest teams in the NBA' thing seems somewhat arbitrary. For example, the Blazers average 25.0 years of age. TOR is also at 25.0, OKC and BOS are at 25.6. Toronto is doing a lot more with their young roster than Portland and combined with the Raptors, they are the #2 and #3 teams in the Eastern Conference. The Blazers would actually be worse in the East (#13) than they currently are in the West (#9).

OKC's roster is somewhat skewed because it has geriatrics Nick Collison (31) and Anthony Morrow (31). If you take those two off, they are younger than the Blazers and still about the same.

So the age part may not matter quite so much because Portland's two best players are still quite young. When a player came into the NBA also matters. Vonleh is in his 3rd NBA season but only 21 years old. CJ has only 1 more season than Vonleh but you wouldn't call McCollum a really young player.

There are a lot of variable when calculating how old a team is. I'd like to see a weighted average based on who actually plays and how long they have been in the NBA versus how old they are.

Either way, Boston and Toronto aren't using 'young' as a reason not to be good.

 

^ and our core last year was younger. Kaman was hardly a "veteran" presence. It's a bullshit excuse.

 

Our core was younger last year and certainly to the 'eyeball' test, brought more effort and tenacity than what we are seeing this year. While Kaman hardly played, it may be tough to evaluate his role as a 'leader' on the team. Apparently he and Dame were pretty close and to have a veteran 'lieutenant' having your back that won't take any crap from anyone may have meant more than we can imagine.

Right now, Dame doesn't have that big man, veteran, no-nonsense backup. In fact, I don't even know who his 'lieutenant' would be. Is that CJ? If so, they are too much alike and it doesn't bring the same impact as Kaman.

Either that or we really miss Montero's trash talking.

 

Was hoping this would be Ed, but Plums is stepping up slowly but surely.

Don't wanna admit this, but I seriously considered this. He gave these dudes some sorta swagger and boosted their confidence.

 

Regarding the poll question for this thread: Just please don't finish as 8th seed for the playoffs. Even 7th I would take. I think we can give the Spurs a fight. No one is upsetting GSW until at least the WCF's (if that) though. 7th or higher or lottery (and I never root for lottery). I think 6th is absolutely the highest we can get this year after the poor start (I know we got 5th last year after same poor start but the West was not playing at the same level then). I would love to get that high (6th) of course. I think 7th is more realistic (but 8th is most realistic which I hate to admit).

If I had to put odds on it (glad I don't) I think these are the order of most likely outcomes:
1. 8th seed
2. out of playoffs
3. 7th seed
4. 6th seed
5. less than 1% chance of anything else (ie. 5th seed)

I might swap odds of 2 and 3 but that is it.

 

Sometimes I wonder if Dame almost felt like he had to protect his little brother who was talking trash for no reason that could be backed up by talent to Dame had to go 'Lillard Time' and inspire the team to do the same to save face for his Lil Bro.

 

Look at our schedule. We should be at .500 by the all-star break. We should go 16-6 over the last 22.

 

My heart wants to believe that. My wallet says otherwise. Even at .500, we would still be woefully behind the #7 seed unless they were to start a massive free-fall. If teams in the West were doing as poorly as last season, I'd say we had a chance to climb above #8 but the 5-7 seeds are much better this year than last.

Much more of a gap to make up.

 

They've had relatively easy schedules and will start to beat each other up. At least two of those teams won't be 10 games above .500.

 

I like the optimism and I will take a closer look at schedule. Amidst all the "should" though, The Blazers "should" also not be 15-22 if they are indeed that good.
I think were starting to see some better play and can expect better days in the near future. I'm just not sure I've seen anything to make me believe that they can just "flip the switch" and make up for the poor start. I'll take my optimism in the fact that I think we will make the playoffs, an if we can enter the playoffs at peak level, well, I cant ask for much more. I'm just afraid that were not going to be able to avoid a rough 1st round matchup(GS) at this point.

 

Ok we got this! LETS GO BLAZERS!

 

So you believe my prediction of 46 wins would be RIGHT ON then?