If we can get to the finals, we're even odds to win. A couple days ago, we had a 2/3 chance of winning if we made it to the finals.
Blazers:: 42-26, next 6 - vs Warriors(W), vs Heat(W), vs Cavs(W), vs Pistons, @ Clippers, vs Rockets. Getting tougher...projected 4-2 Thunder: 41-29, next 6 - vs Suns(W), vs Spurs(W), vs Kings(W), @ Hawks(W), vs Clippers, @ Raptors. Pretty easy...projected 5-1 Wolves:: 40-29, next 6 - vs Celtics(L), vs Warriors(W), @ Wizards(W), @ Spurs, vs Rockets, vs Clippers. Tough stretch...projected 3-3 Pelicans: 39-29, next 6 - @ Kings(W), vs Wizards(L), vs Jazz(L), vs Hornets(W), @ Spurs(L), vs Rockets. Easy stretch...projected 5-1 Jazz:::::: 39-30, @ Grizzlies(W), @ Pacers(W), @ Pelicans(W), vs Pistons(W), vs Suns(W), vs Kings. Not too bad....projected 4-2 Spurs:::: 39-30, next 6 - @ Warriors(L), @ Thunder(L), @ Rockets(L), vs Magic(W), vs Pels(W), vs Wolves. Brutal stretch....projected 2-4 Clippers: 37-30, next 6 - vs Cavs(W), vs Magic(W) @ Bulls(W), @ Rockets(L), @ Thunder, vs Blazers. Tough stretch...projected 2-4 Nuggets: 38-31, next 6 - vs Cavs(L), vs Lakers(W), vs Kings(W), @ Lakers(L), vs Pistons(W), @ Grizzlies. Pretty easy....projected 4-2 Blazers now with at least a 3 game lead in the loss column over everyone behind them. Need to close this home stretch with a win against the Pistons, then get a tough win on a back-to-back night against the Clippers before facing the Rockets. Win 2 out of the next 3 and they are in good shape. Jazz have won 8 straight but started from so far back. Jazz are 20-2 in their last 22 games....on fire and even hotter than the streaking Blazers.
Blazers vs Clippers game on the 18th has both teams coming in playing 3 in 4 nights. Clippers will have a day off, Portland is on b2b.
Yeah that will be a tough game. Just focus on Detroit. If they can hold serve at home they will be in good shape.
Sunday Pels vs Boston Minn vs Houston OKC vs Toronto If all three lose and we win, it would be a really great day for us
Blazers need every win they can get with 7 of the last 10 on the road. Rockets and Celtics at home, then a brutal stretch. ROCKETS CELTICS @ Thunder @ Pelicans @ Grizzlies CLIPPERS GRIZZLIES @ Mavs @rockets @ Spurs @ Nuggets JAZZ In those last 12 games, it's pretty easy to imagine 5 losses. That is why these next two games are so important.
I agree that the games are important. But I don't think all those "good" teams are that good when it comes to matching up with the Blazers. We can sweep that Thunder/Pels/Grizz road trip. Those three teams aren't that good. Then we get Clips and Grizzlies at home. Those are pretty easy. Then the Mavs. By that point we may have the third seed locked up but even if not, I see us beating the Nuggets and then the Jazz at home. 53-55 wins is in play if necessary.
I would love to sew up the 3rd seed with a few games left so Dame and CJ can at least drop some minutes before the playoffs.
I think we're going to give Houston a run for its money, but I'm not enough of a homer to predict a win there... Houston - loss Celtics - win (they're beat to hell right now) Thunder - win (we have their number) Pelicans - loss Grizz - win Clippers - win Grizz - win Mavs - win Rockets - loss Spurs - win Nuggets - loss Jazz - win 8-4 on that stretch.
Yeah, I think that this is probably pretty close. I think that the Blazers give the Rockets a run for their money here in Portland next Tuesday, but the Rockets have only lost 1 game in their last 20. Add to that the fact that CP3 still seems to be able to induce a sub-par performance from Dame and I have a hard time seeing a win there. (Go ahead Dame, prove me wrong.) I'd say the road games against the Pelicans and Nuggets are ones the Blazers could win, but even if they split them, they're likely to lose one of the other games you have tagged as a win. 8-4 seems pretty reasonable to me. Assuming that they win against the Pistons and Kings, that's 10-4 on remaining games and ending up with a record of 52-30. Do that and stay healthy and I'm a really happy camper.
We had 14 point lead going into 4th quarter last time we played Rockets. We're better now. We'll close the deal this time. And we're at home.
We aren't winning 20+ in a row. We are going to lose some games. The Rockets are likely one of those games.
I don't know man. You haven't been watching til recently, right? We may lose games but I think we'll beat Houston. We beat a fully healthy Warriors team last month. I honestly think we'll win the next 10.