Always an achievement not to be taken for granted esp when, midseason, it was definitely in play that we could miss out. We rocketed up the standings and didn't let up, becoming the third team in the West to reach playoffs. Go Blazers!
Players are saying the right thing/doing the right thing and treating it as 1 day at a time ... But I think most of us fans are already starting to look further ahead. That said, all kinds of praise for this years team for making the playoffs, and for separating themselves away from the pack in a crazy western conference.
I understand the totality and macro sense of it... but looking at it today, it was just a formality. Really happy to be there, hard work got us there... but there's home court to get. That will be worth celebrating, too, because that is what I didn't think this team was capable of before the all star break, and would be immensely proud of.
Clinching the 8th seed doesn't mean anything when were running for the 3 seed and HCA. Weve made playoffs consistently. It's expected. You can be a below average team and make the playoffs. (16th out of 30th)... Clinching the 3 seed is what's important.
I believe Magic Number is 2. Any combination of 2 Blazer wins and/or Jazz losses will clinch it. And I believe we only need 1 Blazer win and/or 1 OKC/MIN loss to best Thunder and T-Wolves. If we beat Dallas tomorrow only Utah could mathematically catch us, and they would have to win out plus us lose out to do so. Tomorrow night is huge @ Dallas because the final 4 games after that are all tough. Love to clinch NW title and rest some guys in final games.
Dame and CJ with improved defense this year. Ed back to healthy (barring his current temporary setback) Nurk actually dunking the ball and using his body again. .... ... and then there is this: 5. Portland Trail Blazers 2017-18 record: 48-29 Al-Farouq Aminu has been one of the best 3-point shooters from the corners, where he is shooting 48.3 percent this season, the sixth-highest percentage in the NBA among players with at least 75 such attempts. -- Jose De Leon http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ngs-our-expert-panel-unveils-rankings-week-25 So, our current success isn't a flash in the pan (as I sometimes fear), they are demonstrably better than last year. #notafluke
Woke up early this am thinking that Shabazz has the biggest audition of his career coming up and I think he will turn it up a notch during the offs. He's been struggling on the O side of late but I see him red hot during the playoffs. He's that kind of player! Shabazz is the Man!
So if he is shooting 48% from the corners, and 38% total from 3 point range, my math skills tell me he should not be shooting 3's from anywhere else but the corners. (Which I have been saying all year)
He's just streaky altogether. Didn't he hit the side of the backboard from the corner yesterday? He tracked down the rebound, but when he misses, he misses really bad.
