Beating the Bucks tonight was just absolutely HUGE! We are now in great position to go after HCA in the playoffs. This team continues to amaze me.
I have been thinking that as well for the last two days. Every game is important, but a a loss tonight would have hurt big time.
Every game from here on out is the "most important of the season". EVERY one of the top 8 seeds in the Western Conference has a winning record over their last 10 games (four are 7-3 and four are 6-4) There isn't a team out there that is fading. I can't remember a closer race than this. I mean, for crying out loud we go 3-2 on a road trip and go from Seed #3 to #6 (and it WAS #7 before tonight's win) Every game is monumental. NOBODY wants to start the playoffs on the road. Even more important, NOBODY want to play the Lakers. Every game becomes a must win. We just can't afford anymore mental lapses if we have any hope of the #3 or #4 seed. That means games against Memphis (twice) Oklahoma City (twice) and against the Clippers are must wins. The next two games I circled are against Philly and Phoenix as almost "must wins" as well. Although both of those teams are capable of playing well. When you look at the games we have at home vs Utah, at Houston, at San Antonio (2nd night of back to back), back home vs Lakers, and then Denver. How many of those 5 games do you think we will win? 2? Maybe not even that! That's why we have go smash the cream puffs.
^^^ I don't know if you've seen OKC lately but they're playing some pretty great ball right now and aren't very cream puffy anymore.
This last stretch is going to be rough, but having a few games at home - where the Blazers have been nearly unstoppable - will be really, really big. Have to beat the Suns to nail down who's in the playoffs and who's not. But also have to win that game near the end of the season against Denver - that could decide who wins the NW Division!
