I personally think the talk on MSP is jumping ahead of itself. There is no way that we even think about resting our guys to avoid the Jazz.. when we are still so close to the Lakers bracket.
No, you keep the momentum going. There is a good chance you could end up playing the game and still end up with the Jazz. Better to play it out. Most of the team is getting rest because of the relatively light schedule anyway.
ok so CIP's last question.. last game of the season against GSW.. you win you play the Jazz, you lose you play Dallas... do you rest Roy?
The tough thing is, how do you do that? The only spot with a seemingly guaranteed opponent right now is the 8th seed facing the Lakers. Would we rather face them? I like our chances a lot better against Utah than against the Lakers. So where do we "tank' to? Do we try to go to 7th? What if Utah finishes in 2nd? They're what, a half game out of 2nd? One game? Could easily end up in 2nd place. I think right now you focus on winning, and nothing else. We're 2.5 games out of 4th currently. It could very well be a long shot, but we still have games against OKC, Denver, and Dallas. And we're 4 games out of 2nd. Also have easier games against NY, GS, Sac. and LAC. Dallas still has games against us, OKC, SA, Orl. and 2 against Memphis. Utah still has the Lakers, OKC, Hou., NO and Phoenix. Tanking at this point would be stupid. Would rather just continue playing to win, and let the seedings fall where they may.
What? We're playing great basketball right now. Why would we mess that up to jockey for playoff position? Besides, I think we're more like the team that went up 25 on the Jazz than the team that gave up that 25 point lead.
agree.. thats what I was saying with my 2nd post. So then I asked the last question they asked on MSP. Last game of the season.. Win, play Jazz, lose play Dallas... do you rest?
Well I'm assuming in that senario that if Blazers win they move up a spot . .. so if it is to play the Jazz, the Jazz which must have now moved below Denver. Why has Utah with a weaker schedule dropped below the Nuggets? Injury, Utah isn't in sync, Denver on a streak, Kenyon coming back? I think you just win out as many games as possible and bring in as much mojo to the playoffs taht you can. And don't gie the opposing team any lockerroom material like "Blazers throw game to play gainst Denver"
The Jazz are playing great, but so are the Blazers. Would be an epic series. Not afraid of the Delta Center.
Just win, baby. Playing to dodge a prospective opponent is a loser's mentality. Right about now, the statement the Blazers should be looking to implant in the rest of the West is that they should be afraid of playing Portland.
