Tough when 20-25% of the crowd was pulling for Golden State ... got loud towards the end on those big triples.
Yup. We were at 66% capacity. If we were at full capacity, it would've been amazing. All these fucking California transplants.
The next three games are very winnable. We are better than Miami, Cleveland have been inconsistent and they usually struggle at Moda and Pistons have been a complete mess. If we go 43-26 I think we will have a nice cushion between us and the 4th place. We are the most in-form team in the league.
The March 18-27 stretch is tough but not 0-5 tough. I'm worried about those last 3 road games before the end of the season. It will probably still be a tight race and most likely those team will still have something to play for. Out of those 8 total games, the Blazers may only be favored in around 2 of them. As hot as they are now, that is still a ways away and they are going to have to find ways to win games that they won't be favored in.
B.S. All those Portland-dwelling betas who just want the testosterone boost from having "their" team win. Like that dude (not the kid, the guy next to a girl in a W's jersey) who literally at one point put on a Lillard Jersey over a Curry one.
http://www.playoffstatus.com/nba/westernstandings.html We now have nearly a 70% shot at finishing with home court advantage.
Blazers: 40-26, next 6 - vs Warriors(W), vs Heat, vs Cavs, vs Pistons, vs Clippers, @ Rockets. Getting tougher...projected 4-2 Pelicans: 38-28, next 6 - @ Kings(W), vs Wizards(L), vs Jazz(L), vs Hornets, @ Spurs, vs Rockets. Easy stretch...projected 5-1 Wolves: 39-29, next 6 - vs Celtics(L), vs Warriors(W), @ Wizards, @ Spurs, vs Rockets, vs Clippers. Tough stretch...projected 3-3 Thunder: 39-29, next 6 - vs Suns(W), vs Spurs(W), vs Kings, @ Hawks, vs Clippers, @ Raptors. Pretty easy...projected 5-1 Spurs: 37-29, next 6 - @ Warriors(L), @ Thunder(L), @ Rockets, vs Magic, vs Pels, vs Wolves. Brutal stretch....projected 2-4 Clippers: 36-29, next 6 - vs Cavs(W), vs Magic(W) @ Bulls, @ Rockets, @ Thunder, vs Blazers. Tough stretch...projected 2-4 Nuggets: 37-30, next 6 - vs Cavs(L), vs Lakers(W), vs Kings(W), @ Lakers, vs Pistons, @ Grizzlies. Pretty easy....projected 4-2 Jazz::::: 37-30, @ Grizzlies(W), @ Pacers(W), @ Pelicans(W), vs Pistons, vs Suns, vs Kings. Not too bad....projected 4-2 Jazz have won 6 in a row...and are still at #10. What a race! Pels have dropped 2 in a row while the Wolves got a huge win against the Warriors. Spurs have lost 2 in a row and are @ the Rockets next. Clippers got a big win against the Cavs. Jazz could go 6-0 in this stretch and still not be in the Playoffs.
http://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/03/12/projecting-final-standings-in-wild-west-playoff-chase/ NBC sports is predicting us to get the 3rd seed, finishing just 1 game ahead of the Timberwolves and Thunder. Only 2 games ahead of the 3-way tie for 6/7/8 between the Pelicans, Spurs, and Jazz. Clippers just miss the playoffs by 1 game and the Nuggets finish 2 games out of the final spot. It would be pretty crazy if it stayed that close all the way until the end.
I just hope the reward for the #3 seed is not a suddenly healthy Spurs team with Kawhi back in the lineup.
Dude. I'm worried about the exact same thing. I remember that one year (2006) the top 3 seeds went to the division winners but HCA was still determined by record. The Nuggets won the Northwest Division but they sucked. They had the 3 seed. The 4th seed was a VERY good Dallas team (with a better record). So Clippers (the Sam Cassell ones) and Grizzlies were fighting for 5 seed and neither of them wanted it. In a Clippers-Grizzlies matchup late in the season, both teams sat their stars and tried to loses. A 5 seed meant you play the Mavs and you don't have HCA. A 6 seed meant you play the Nuggets and you DO have HCA. It really wasn't fair. The Grizzlies, who had yet to ever win a playoff game, got the 5 seed and got swept by the Mavericks. The Clippers got the 6 seed and opened the playoffs on their own floor. They beat the Nuggets in 5 games. So. Not. Fair.