So if we beat the best team in the league and the Lakers lose to the worst team in the league, we clinch. Lakers might be too tired to run with young Rockets.
Rockets can’t tank anymore. They clinched the worst record. Lakers will be exhausted and with no point guard while Houston will be running up and down the court launching threes.
Um the Knicks and Suns WILL beat the Lakers eventually. Winning on Monday may in face be the win we needed to clinch with when the math is finally tabulated. And Lakers are disorganized, LeBron said he'll never be 100% again etc etc, it's all true. Great post by me.
So you weren't talking about the Lakers next two games when you made that post? It was just a bold statement that the Knicks and Suns would beat the Lakers in some random regular season game in a future season?
At some point, yes. They will. Could be playoffs, could be two years from now. I've been following the game for about 30 years and I'm sure of it. I bet you $50 if you want.
Good to know. I was wrong to assume you were talking about this weeks games, silly of me. FYI - my prediction of the Blazers going 4-8 over a 12 games stretch in the other thread wasn't about this season, just sometime down the road as well. I nailed it!
The way Dame's half face lines up with LeBron's is kind of creeping me out and if you are trying to point out that the Lakers have a better chance at staying out of the play-ins than we do at this point... I'd have to say you're right. I don't see a reason why any of those teams especially two of them won't try and beat us. I don't think we're better than any of them. I'm pretty damn sure the Lakers even hobbled are better than all three of their remaining opponents. That being said, us finishing ahead of the Lakers wouldn't be as weird as that half LeBron, half Dame thing in that tweet.
The Clippers' top three lineups with the most minutes all have better net ratings than the Blazers' starters, as does their current starting lineup which bbref inexplicably shows as only having played 40 minutes together.
If it wasn't for Kawhi Leonard I would feel very good about the Blazers chances against the Clippers. Kawhi makes things very tough. You just don't ever really know about him? He is very unpredictable and he seems to carry "Luck". Old saying "Better to be lucky than good". Kawhi Leonard is both.
Kawhi is excellent...and yes he's kind of enigmatic but the Clippers have a lot more than Kawhi going for them. Talent and lots of depth; and pieces fit together really well and in a Blazer/Clipper matchup, the Clips have Kawhi/PG13/Beverly/Rondo/Mann/Batum to throw at Dame; and you know they will. Length, speed, and lots of different looks limit Dame, and a Blazer team with a limited Dame hasn't won too often, especially in the playoffs I'd rate the Clippers as the favorites right now
Agreed. With Batum/George/Leonard/Morris, they have the kind of switchability every team needs, and have solid skill variation in the backcourt with Beverly/Jackson/Rondo, as well as in the frontcourt with Ibaka/Zubac/DMC. If the Blazers face the Clips in the first round and go down, but put up a legit fight, I won't be disappointed. On balance, they look like the best team in the league to me right now. Much like with us and Stotts, I feel like their head coach is probably their weakest link.
Odds are Portland plays GSW for the 7th spot. I do not know if Portland can beat them given the way they defend the 3. Curry could well score 50+.
Favorites to lose in first round. They are mentally weak and have Wayoff P taking too many shots. Remember they trailed Dallas 77-27 at halftime in a game this season and they were healthy.
