34 wins now vs Last Year's 34 wins

[Nate Dogg]

I just realized that as of February 20th, 2009 our record is 34-20.
We didn't reach 34 wins and 31 losses until March 11, 2008.
We are clearly 2 and half weeks ahead of last years pace.
This is something that we should be proud of this years team.
I know mr " ? " might have something negative about this statement but We are making the playoffs!

 

[LameR]

It's pretty significant. Also of note is how we haven't been as streaky as we were last year. I like it.

 

[Tince]

It's pretty significant. Also of note is how we haven't been as streaky as we were last year. I like it.

I noticed this as well.

You know we've been consistent when a lot of people on this board claim we are in a slump, yet we've won 9 of our last 12.

 

[Minstrel]

Also, last year, the team was in the midst of a rather severe market correction from its winning streak-fueled first half. Their early record was overperformance and they were regressing to the mean the rest of the year.

This year, they haven't overperformed to compile this record. In fact, considering their point differential (second-best in the West), they may have actually been a little unlucky, if anything.

In short, they are a much, much better team this year than last year.

 

[Tince]

Also, last year, the team was in the midst of a rather severe market correction from its winning streak-fueled first half. Their early record was overperformance and they were regressing to the mean the rest of the year.

This year, they haven't overperformed to compile this record. In fact, considering their point differential (second-best in the West), they may have actually been a little unlucky, if anything.

In short, they are a much, much better team this year than last year.

If one of the two garbage 3's at home against the Magic or Clippers don't go in, our longest losing streak of the season would be two games.

Youngest team in the league and you only have 1 three game losing streak? Wow...

 

[alex42083]

14 games over .500 is simply awesome at this point. but it's scary to see Utah and Phoenix creeping up from the bottom. The Suns are now 8 games over .500 and sit in ninth and still scored 140 tonight.

 

[yenniedn]

I just realized that as of February 20th, 2009 our record is 34-20.
We didn't reach 34 wins and 31 losses until March 11, 2008.
We are clearly 2 and half weeks ahead of last years pace.
This is something that we should be proud of this years team.
I know mr " ? " might have something negative about this statement but We are making the playoffs!

Great points - thanks for bringing them to our attention. You can't argue with the numbers but I assure you, someone will.

I can't say that I was 100% sure prior to the season but I've been a firm believer that we're making the playoffs this year for some time now. This is NOT a lottery team this year and the people (person?) claiming that we are points to the fact that we have this weakness or that flaw. Well, shit, what NBA team doesn't have its warts??? And not only are we currently the 4th seed in the West (instead of the 7th or 8th) - but the teams behind us have just as many if not MORE issues than we do.

Hell, it's a 9 team race in the West and current injuries almost guarantee that AT LEAST one team out of Houston, Utah or Phoenix will drop off towards the end. So even though only a few games separate us from the 9th position, it would take an utter disaster for this team to make the lottery. So it'd be nice for this young team to get some credit . . . and maybe, just maybe, for its fans to enjoy some of the success??????? But that's probably asking for too much.

 

[azsun67]

14 games over .500 is simply awesome at this point. but it's scary to see Utah and Phoenix creeping up from the bottom. The Suns are now 8 games over .500 and sit in ninth and still scored 140 tonight.

I need to see the suns beat a real team without Amare, I think they beat the Clippers twice and OKC once for their recent 140 point games.

 

[KingSpeed]

I noticed this as well.

You know we've been consistent when a lot of people on this board claim we are in a slump, yet we've won 9 of our last 12.

And 14 of our last 20!

 

[ABM]

It's pretty significant. Also of note is how we haven't been as streaky as we were last year. I like it.

Personally, I'm fine with streaks.....provided that they're of the winning variety.

 

[tlongII]

Many people complain that we have too much talent on this team, but imo that is a big part of the reason we are where we are. We have suffered as many injuries as most of the other teams in the league, but our depth has carried us through. This is one reason I've been against "thinning" the roster. We might need to do that at some point in the future, but it certainly wouldn't have been a good idea this season.

 

[hasoos]

Playoff races are always going to be tough. If your not fighting to get in, you are fighting for seeding. That is why I have been saying, don't pay attention to what other teams do. This is all about the Blazers and what they do. If they want to get in, they have to earn it, they can't hope to back into the playoffs by losing their way in. Take care of business, and you have truly earned your playoff birth.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Glass half empty: We're only 3 games ahead of the 9th seed.

Glass half full: We're only 2.5 games behind the 2nd seed.

Glass half empty: We haven't been playing well lately. Other teams are heating up and will pass us soon.

Glass half full: There is only one team in the entire NBA that has a better record over the last 10 games (the Lakers). Nobody behind us in the standings has gained any ground during that time. In fact, the Rockets (6 - 4), Hornets (4 - 6) and Suns (6 - 4) have all lost ground to us over the last 10 games.

Glass half empty: Injuries will be our downfall. Oden is out again.

Blazers: Greg Oden - chip fracture in left patella is listed as day to day

Glass half full: The 5 teams immediately behind us in the standings all have more significant injury problems.

Rockets: Tracy McGrady - to undergo left knee surgery is expected to miss the remainder of the season
Hornets: Tyson Chandler - sprained left ankle/turf toe is out indefinitely
Mavericks: Jason Terry - left hand surgery is out indefinitely
Utah: Carlos Boozer - left knee surgery is out indefinitely
Suns: Amare Stoudemire - right eye surgery is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season

Glass half empty: We're DOOMED!!!!

Glass half full: We'll be fine.

BNM

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Personally, I'm fine with streaks.....provided that they're of the winning variety.

Naw, I prefer the Blazer Dancer variety of Streaking!

 

[bluefrog]

Glass half empty: We're only 3 games ahead of the 9th seed.

Glass half full: We're only 2.5 games behind the 2nd seed.

Glass half empty: We haven't been playing well lately. Other teams are heating up and will pass us soon.

Glass half full: There is only one team in the entire NBA that has a better record over the last 10 games (the Lakers). Nobody behind us in the standings has gained any ground during that time. In fact, the Rockets (6 - 4), Hornets (4 - 6) and Suns (6 - 4) have all lost ground to us over the last 10 games.

Glass half empty: Injuries will be our downfall. Oden is out again.

Blazers: Greg Oden - chip fracture in left patella is listed as day to day

Glass half full: The 5 teams immediately behind us in the standings all have more significant injury problems.

Rockets: Tracy McGrady - to undergo left knee surgery is expected to miss the remainder of the season
Hornets: Tyson Chandler - sprained left ankle/turf toe is out indefinitely
Mavericks: Jason Terry - left hand surgery is out indefinitely
Utah: Carlos Boozer - left knee surgery is out indefinitely
Suns: Amare Stoudemire - right eye surgery is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season

repped

 

[oldmangrouch]

Glass half empty: the Suns are responding well to their new coach, and the Jazz may well be fired up to "win for Larry."

Glass half full: the whole Chandler fiasco may have left some bad feelings in NO.

 

[Sug]

Glass half full: the whole Chandler fiasco may have left some bad feelings in NO.

May have?? I am pretty sure there is no way to take back what happened. I mean they traded him for salary.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Glass half empty: the Suns are responding well to their new coach, and the Jazz may well be fired up to "win for Larry."

Glass half full: the whole Chandler fiasco may have left some bad feelings in NO.

The untrade of Chandler was stupid to begin with.

With Chandler: 21-11

Without Chandler: 11-11

They clearly aren't the same team without him. They definitely miss his rebounding and interior defense.

George Shinn is hurting for money. The Hornets had a nice run last season, but they simply can't afford all those big contracts (Paul, Chandler, West and Peja) in that market. They would have preferred to trade Peja, but nobody wanted him. Things would have to get REALLY bad (like bankruptcy bad) to trade Paul. That left Chandler and West. Chandler was out injured anyway, and they found a taker (almost) for him in exchange for two expiring contracts. So, they bit on it - and then it blew up on them.

Now, they have the injured Chandler back on their payroll. He's out indefinitely, and hard telling how motivated he'll be to play for them when he comes back.

The Hornets are sinking fast. At the rate they are going, I actually think it will come down to them and the Suns for the 8th seed, and barring further injuries, I think the Suns might just beat them out.

BNM

 

[Nikolokolus]

The untrade of Chandler was stupid to begin with.

With Chandler: 21-11

Without Chandler: 11-11

They clearly aren't the same team without him. They definitely miss his rebounding and interior defense.

George Shinn is hurting for money. The Hornets had a nice run last season, but they simply can't afford all those big contracts (Paul, Chandler, West and Peja) in that market. They would have preferred to trade Peja, but nobody wanted him. Things would have to get REALLY bad (like bankruptcy bad) to trade Paul. That left Chandler and West. Chandler was out injured anyway, and they found a taker (almost) for him in exchange for two expiring contracts. So, they bit on it - and then it blew up on them.

Now, they have the injured Chandler back on their payroll. He's out indefinitely, and hard telling how motivated he'll be to play for them when he comes back.

The Hornets are sinking fast. At the rate they are going, I actually think it will come down to them and the Suns for the 8th seed, and barring further injuries, I think the Suns might just beat them out.

BNM

I wouldn't be shocked to see "Chandelier" demand a trade over the summer ... and I suspect Shinn will be motivated to move him anyway for exactly the same reasons they tried to move him at the deadline.

Anybody else get a strong feeling the Hornets are about to become a perpetual .500 team; good enough to be moderately competitive with CP3 and West, but too shallow on their bench and at center to be a legit contender?

 

[Stevenson]

Comeon. Don't you know the sky is falling, Nate should be fired, Sergio sucks, Roy hasn't scored 30 in weeks, and KP choked on not making a trade?

What the hell is with such positivity on your part?

 

[oldmangrouch]

I wouldn't be shocked to see "Chandelier" demand a trade over the summer ... and I suspect Shinn will be motivated to move him anyway for exactly the same reasons they tried to move him at the deadline.

Anybody else get a strong feeling the Hornets are about to become a perpetual .500 team; good enough to be moderately competitive with CP3 and West, but too shallow on their bench and at center to be a legit contender?

I still think we should have taken advantage of their stupidity and offered the RLEC for Chandler.

Next summer, we would have been sitting on a starting quality center we *didn't need*. We could have packaged him with one of our wing players, and made a serious pitch for a Prince/Butler caliber player.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I wouldn't be shocked to see "Chandelier" demand a trade over the summer ... and I suspect Shinn will be motivated to move him anyway for exactly the same reasons they tried to move him at the deadline.

Anybody else get a strong feeling the Hornets are about to become a perpetual .500 team; good enough to be moderately competitive with CP3 and West, but too shallow on their bench and at center to be a legit contender?

Shinn has always been a cash-strapped owner. He fled Charlotte for financial reasons and ended up in an even worse situation in New Orleans. Even without the devastation of Katrina, New Orleans would have been a marginal market for supporting a second professional sports franchise. As loved as the Saints are, they loose money every year and rely on state government subsidies to keep from going bankrupt. With all the other things that need fixing in New Orleans, I just don't see the state legislature ponying up tax dollars to prop up another team that can't support themselves financially.

Coming soon... Your Seattle Hornets!

BNM