The season began as mostly soft with a few tough games sprinkled in but not the Blazers it a stretch over the 18 games beginning and ending with Miami where if they continue to play like they have been, wins will likely be very few and far between. @Mia* @Tor* @Min MIL* CHA @Hou* @Dal* @Okc GST DAL* IND* HOU* @LAL* UTA* @Den* SAS @Uta MIA * = with a winning percentage over .629. Almost all of those teams currently have HCA in the Playoffs. Only the Timberwolves, Hornets, Warriors and Spurs are under .500 and only the T-Wolves and Warriors currently have a worse winning percentage than the Blazers. How many wins are in that stretch?
Yikes, this is the Blazers season right here in these next 18 (though it’s likely already been decided IMO). The way they’ve been playing, especially on the defensive end, I can’t see the team winning more than 6-7 of those games. The only caveat I’ll add is unless they make a “needle-moving trade” in that timeframe.
Which way are we moving the needle? Right now I’m inclined to move the needle toward draft picks and young potential rather than aging, overpaid, injury-prone talent (see Love, Griffin, etc.).
Am I being too pessimistic? Even MM say 8 wins. Going down the list, I would be surprised if we won 4.
After this though the schedule is about as easy as a schedule can be the rest of the way. The optimist side of me says if they can just go 8-10 in this stretch or so they still would likely finish the season above .500 and in the playoffs, maybe even as a scary team if healthier and with a couple of new acquisitions. The pessimist side of me thinks they will get destroyed during this stretch but then win just enough games to be in the late lottery instead of the middle of the lottery. Hopefully the trade deadline brings something to be optimistic about next year.
for perspective, I'm adding a couple of games taking it to 20 games more, then the all-star break. I'm expecting a 21-35 record or a 22-34 record by the break. Either way, that's too deep a hole in my view, with only 26 games left in the season. I mean, at that point if they go 18-8 over the closing stretch they'd still be below .500. And 18-8 translates to 57 wins over a season when they only won 53 last year. If they are 22-34 they'd have to go 19-7 to win 41; if they are 21-35, they'd have to go 20-6 to hit .500 at 41 wins Dame almost always seems to get his '2nd wind' around the all-star break, if not a little before. For anything good to happen for the Blazers, record-wise, Dame has to start playing like a superstar again, but he just looks more wore down by this season than he has in the past
It also doesn't need to be either of those as there are other ways to improve the team. Identifying a diamond in the rough or an up and coming player that might blossom with a change of scenery.
http://www.sportstwo.com/threads/wh...be-crucial-for-the-rest-of-the-season.351298/ Told ya a month ago, the Blazers didn't take care of Business in December, it's going to bite them now. I would be shoked if the Blazers win 5+ games over this Stretch
Seriously i don't remember anyone calling the beginning of the season easy. 10-10 was pretty much the most optimistic look anyone had.
I never thought we'd be here staring into the abyss, never thought to myself, "Well, it could be worse," until right now...
I’m still hoping that we’ll pull it together and play well through the rest of the season. Not sure when but I’m still hopeful.
