OKC and Jazz are hot, they'll probably play well enough to stay at 4 and 5. Spurs are better team of the remaining teams so they'll get 6th. Minnesota is more banged up than Pels. So Minnesota 8th. That's how I see it. Last year, they said 8 seed would come down to last night but it didn't. We'll see.
Let's keep it a one game losing streak by winning the next game. Boston will be tough. Then we are on the road for some serious games ...
Still very proud of the team. This was a tough game, and with CJ and Dame struggling, the rest of the team really stepped up. 13 in a row is nothing to shrug at, and we still control our own destiny. Third seed and division title or bust.
Boston really did the Blazers a favor by rallying late to get that 1-pt win. Utah will likely regret losing to a team like ATL at home. That loss stings.
#3 could get HCA for more than one round if #2 was upset or even if they beat #2 without HCA and #1 was upset. The idea that GS is losing in the 2nd round or that HOU is losing in either of the 1st two rounds....while a possibility, seems like a very small one. (unless there are injuries)
Which, in my opinion, signals we aren't that good if we finish the season 6-6 against the teams left on our schedule. Boston doesn't have Kyrie. OKC is, in theory, worse than us, but I like them in this game, primarily if they don't sit Carmelo again. NOP should be a win. Memphis sucks. Should win. Clippers suck. Should win. Memphis sucks. Should win. Dallas really sucks. Should win Houston, loss. San Antonio doesn't have Kawhi, and when he is back, won't be in shape. Should win. Denver - Probably gonna miss the playoffs. Should win. Utah - 8th seed. Should win. If we go worse than 8-3, I don't think we're gonna make much noise in the playoffs. We will see. Primarily because that means we lost to a host of teams that we are likely to play in the playoffs, all in a row, pretty much.
I think that Pelicans Game is a loss. Davis is a Monster and we have Nobody who can guard him, and they play really well as a Team. I also think we Go 8:3 for the rest of the RS and finish at 3
You're ignoring the fact that we're on the road vs NOP, on a B2B @MEM (still should win anyway), on the 3rd/4th games of a road trip @SAS/@DEN, the 7th road game in 2 weeks, plus playing at elevation after running the Texas triangle, and that Utah will probably have more on the line in the final game than we will. But sure, let's just pretend that none of that matters, and that the current standings are the only things that inform which team should win any given game...
I'm not ignoring the facts. I simply don't believe in the BS excuses put forth, suggesting that if those are truly obstacles, we aren't going to do very well in the playoffs. Great teams don't make those excuses nor do even very good teams. They win despite the odds. Might even have to play at elevation multiple times in the playoffs. Frankly, if we can't beat the Pelicans on the road while fighting for playoff positioning, what makes you think we'll beat better teams on the road in the playoffs? If we can't beat the Spurs without Kawhi, how are we going to beat them WITH Kawhi? Do you really think the Rockets, Warriors, Raptors, Celtics, Cavs are making these kind of excuses? 'Yeah, we should totally finish the season 6-6 and lose to a bunch of teams that are worse than us. But when the playoffs come around, we'll be good.' This is the time to show up. You either have it or you don't. If we go 6-6 and do well in the playoffs, I'll eat a pound of sea urchin, the nastiest fucking food on the planet.
And I don't care if we play memphis on a b2b2b2b2b2bb2b2b2b2b2b2b, we should pound them, same with Dallas.
No, apparently the consistently observed tendency of role players to play more effectively at home, and the universally understood impact of travel weariness are not legitimate factors to be considered when projecting or evaluating games, but are nothing more than excuses voiced by the weak-minded. Or so I'm told.
