Grizz lose. They're 2-9 in their last 11 games. We're only one game behind them and we got the tiebreaker. They play the Warriors twice. Think I'm more worried about Utah catching us than the Grizz. Utah is only up 4 on Minnesota in the 3rd. Go Blazers!
Knock, knock. Hello Memphis. Blazers win tomorrow and they'll be a half game back. Wow. Unfortunately the Grizzles have their easiest remaining game, at Orlando, while Portland has their toughest remaining game, at Golden State, on Sunday. So we might be in the exact same position come Sunday night. But you've gotta win tomorrow if you're the Blazers.
And also the most depressing series to lose. I just can't give them the same level of credibility of GSW/SA/OKC.
The thing about Utah is that they've been streaky all year. They win 4 and then lose 3, over and over. So they are do for one more rough patch. Dallas is the one I'm worried about since they own the tiebreaker.
Blazers 40-36 (Updated) BOS - a must win to have a chance at #5. Payback due as well. (Win 116-109) MIA - opponent b2b 3in4 - should be a win against a tired, road weary MIA squad. @GS - b2b - Loss. GS going for a historical record with Portland on a b2b. I would almost go 'Pop' and rest the starters that game. @SAC 3in4 - Another 'must win' game even though POR struggles there. Possibly depends on who is in the lineup for SAC OKC - b2b 4in5 opponent b2b 3in4 - Have to win your home games. Both teams will be tired. It's why I think POR should rest against GS. MIN - Win...it's MIN DEN - Win...better be a win. That gives POR a 45-37 record but I'm not sure I see them going 6-1 down the stretch so with wiggle room, 44-38. Memphis 41-35 (Updated) TOR - Loss. Raptors still chasing CLE. Glad this game isn't any later in the season when it might be a lost cause. (Loss 99-95) Impressed it was that close. @ORL - Magic out of the Playoffs so it's about how MEM plays. Should be a win. CHI - Battle of the injured lineups. Pick 'em game. @DAL - Loss. Mavs fighting for that last Playoff spot at home. GS - b2b - Loss. Warriors on their quest helps us when it hurt us a few days earlier. @LAC - Clippers likely in a 'no-win' scenario and may rest their starters. Pick 'em @GS - b2b Should be a loss but GS may have the record wrapped up by then and might sit starters against a hungry MEM team. Boston beating GS helps Portland in that if GS doesn't have the record wrapped up by that final game against MEM, they will not be resting their starters and that is good for the Blazers.
I think even if GS has the record they'll play starters 30 mins because they want every game they can tack on to it. Kind of depends what Spurs do at home too. If they can tie the Celtics and Spurs home 40-1 record they'll be more motivated to win at home. If Spurs are 41-0 then GS probably won't care as much. I'm actually thinking it may be more likely Utah or Dallas catch us than Memphis stays ahead of us. I wouldn't say Memphis should win on the road at Orlando; they have a chance but I'd set them as a slight underdog. Orlando has had so many lottery picks they don't care about tanking like some teams would in their spot. Fivethirtyeight.com gives Memphis a 42% chance of winning in Orlando. Tonights game against Miami is big. After that I'd say Sacramento is the most toss up game we have. Boogie has been rested one game and sat out suspended another so he wants to put on a show. They try much harder at home. He's climbed up the NBA FT charts to share attempts per game with Harden. We don't have bigs with success defending him. Maybe we polish off Kaveman for this game. Still he's 33 and can't stay in front of Boogie 1v1 so it needs to be our whole team pitching in. Being on the 3rd in 4 nights; it won't be easy.
Every team plays tonight, Us at Golden State 8pm EST NBATV Memphis at Orlando 6pm Utah at Phoenix 6pm Dallas at Minnesota 3:30pm Houston vs Oklahoma City 3:30pm ABC
Blazers 41-36 (Updated) BOS - a must win to have a chance at #5. Payback due as well. (Win 116-109) MIA - opponent b2b 3in4 - should be a win against a tired, road weary MIA squad. (Win 110-93) Wade out, 3 games in 4 nights...inevitable. @GS - b2b - Loss. GS going for a historical record with Portland on a b2b. I would almost go 'Pop' and rest the starters that game. @SAC 3in4 - Another 'must win' game even though POR struggles there. Possibly depends on who is in the lineup for SAC OKC - b2b 4in5 opponent b2b 3in4 - Have to win your home games. Both teams will be tired. It's why I think POR should rest against GS. MIN - Win...it's MIN DEN - Win...better be a win. That gives POR a 45-37 record but I'm not sure I see them going 6-1 down the stretch so with wiggle room, 44-38. Memphis 41-35 (Updated) TOR - Loss. Raptors still chasing CLE. Glad this game isn't any later in the season when it might be a lost cause. (Loss 99-95) Impressed it was that close. @ORL - Magic out of the Playoffs so it's about how MEM plays. Should be a win. CHI - Battle of the injured lineups. Pick 'em game. @DAL - Loss. Mavs fighting for that last Playoff spot at home. GS - b2b - Loss. Warriors on their quest helps us when it hurt us a few days earlier. @LAC - Clippers likely in a 'no-win' scenario and may rest their starters. Pick 'em @GS - b2b Should be a loss but GS may have the record wrapped up by then and might sit starters against a hungry MEM team.
Houston wins Dallas wins. Orlando up 14-6 on Memphis. Grizz have come back to tie it though. If the Grizz lose tonight they could seriously lose out and miss the playoffs.
Don't trust fat ladies. Failure is always an option. Having spent many years rooting for the Ducks and Blazers, I am tempted to say failure is an inevitability.
Can, yes. Likely, probably not. Utah has a very easy schedule though; they could run the table. If we lose tonight, in Sac and against OKC, all certainly possible, then Utah controls their own destiny. Memphis down 67-56 at half in Orlando.
So after that expected loss at Golden State, the Blazers are 41-37 with 4 games left. Can we win out? @ Sac vs OKC vs Min vs Den I think Minnesota and Denver are guaranteed wins. The other two could be dicey. Memphis has a brutal schedule to end the season. vs Chi @ Dal vs GS @ LAC @ GS Even if GS and Lac rest their guys, Memphis probably isn't even as good as those teams second units. I don't see Dallas, Houston or Utah catching us. Dallas can conceivable do it by winning out, since they play Utah, Houston and Memphis to end the season, but what are the chances of that?
Memphis is irrelevant, they're most likely to miss the playoffs. Dallas is only one loss behind us and has the tiebreaker. They've won 4 straight and are getting contributions up and down their roster. Utah is a concern too but we have the tiebreaker with them which makes it a two game lead. Big game Tuesday in Sacramento. They've been playing everyone and trying much harder at home. We don't have anyone to defend Cousins.
OKC is on the 2nd of a back to back, already having the 3rd seed locked up. Billy Donovan has already rested KD and Ibaka last week, and this game seems like a prime game for them to rest their starters.
