Before you negative nancys get all agro

[magnifier661]

Let's put the current season into perspective... Let's just break it down for every 10 games.

1st 10 games - 8-2

2nd 10 games - 9-1

3rd group (not 10 yet) - 6-2

So as much as you may think the sky maybe falling; if we keep even a 7-3 for every 10 game average, we will be a 58 win team.

 

[Strenuus]

Not worried at all. Even the 72 win bulls went through a rough stretch (they lost 2 in a row once!) And *knocks on wood* we haven't done that yet.

 

[TBpup]

Not negative Nancy but there is some reality to at least consider. Blazer bench is near the bottom and they get killed on points in the paint on almost a nightly basis. There there is the schedule so far. Props for winning the games in front of them but they are just 7-5 against .500 and above. Wins against the Nuggets, Spurs, Warriors, Rockets, Suns, OKC and Pacers. Losses to Suns (x2), Rockets, Mavs and Wolves. 15-0 against below .500 teams....killing it there. They get the Clips and Heat at home, then at OKC in December. In January @ Spurs, Mavs, Thunder and Rockets before a game @ Warriors.

No sky is falling here but once they start playing more teams over .500 and some of those on the road, we will find out how much of a contender they really might be.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Let's put the current season into perspective... Let's just break it down for every 10 games.

1st 10 games - 8-2

2nd 10 games - 9-1

3rd group (not 10 yet) - 6-2

So as much as you may think the sky maybe falling; if we keep even a 7-3 for every 10 game average, we will be a 58 win team.

And obviously far better than my 40 win prediction.

I don't know how you can't be thrilled with where this team is at.

What has really thrilled me is that guys like LA and Nic do care.

 

[KingSpeed]

CJ should help bench

 

[magnifier661]

Not negative Nancy but there is some reality to at least consider. Blazer bench is near the bottom and they get killed on points in the paint on almost a nightly basis. There there is the schedule so far. Props for winning the games in front of them but they are just 7-5 against .500 and above. Wins against the Nuggets, Spurs, Warriors, Rockets, Suns, OKC and Pacers. Losses to Suns (x2), Rockets, Mavs and Wolves. 15-0 against below .500 teams....killing it there. They get the Clips and Heat at home, then at OKC in December. In January @ Spurs, Mavs, Thunder and Rockets before a game @ Warriors.

No sky is falling here but once they start playing more teams over .500 and some of those on the road, we will find out how much of a contender they really might be.

That's all fine and dandy, but how are the other .500 teams doing against their counterpart? Definitely not as good as we are. In fact Indiana just lost to Miami tonight.

What we've accomplished on the insanely hard stretch is beyond amazing. So as you want to be a forensic fan, take into account the amount of b2b games we had. Count the road games. Doesn't matter if they are sub .500 teams. Traveling alone puts a toll on you.

I had to travel a lot in business and it wears you down. With us being undefeated against eastern conference teams, mainly on the road is incredible. What other team can say that?

 

[magnifier661]

Okay let's look at the real contenders of the NBA.

OKC: 9-4 against .500 ball clubs
SAS: 7-5 against .500 ball clubs
MIA: 5-2 against .500 ball clubs
Indiana: 5-3 against .500 ball clubs
Houston: 6-5 against .500 ball clubs

The rest aren't contenders. So we are on pace with all contenders except OKC. Not bad company!

 

[Steelblazer]

Not negative Nancy but there is some reality to at least consider. Blazer bench is near the bottom and they get killed on points in the paint on almost a nightly basis. There there is the schedule so far. Props for winning the games in front of them but they are just 7-5 against .500 and above. Wins against the Nuggets, Spurs, Warriors, Rockets, Suns, OKC and Pacers. Losses to Suns (x2), Rockets, Mavs and Wolves. 15-0 against below .500 teams....killing it there. They get the Clips and Heat at home, then at OKC in December. In January @ Spurs, Mavs, Thunder and Rockets before a game @ Warriors.

No sky is falling here but once they start playing more teams over .500 and some of those on the road, we will find out how much of a contender they really might be.

Funny, but if this were the Spurs, people would be saying that they are winning the games that they should be winning and only losing to good teams, as top echelon teams should be doing.

 

[Strenuus]

Funny, but if this were the Spurs, people would be saying that they are winning the games that they should be winning and only losing to good teams, as top echelon teams should be doing.

It's a product of "Woah, this is actually us we're talking about" I would think.

 

[Mediocre Man]

CJ should help bench

Why should CJ help with interior play and defense?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Four games in five nights is brutal.

When was the last time that happened?

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Because he's not Mo?

Why should CJ help with interior play and defense?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Because he's not Mo?

So Mo is the reason our bigs have no depth and our defense is less than good?

man, talk about a scape goat

 

[Mediocre Man]

Four games in five nights is brutal.

When was the last time that happened?

I'd have to look, but I think just about every year to every team

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Four games in five nights is brutal.

When was the last time that happened?

Yeah that's rough, just about every team gets a stretch like that, I'm curious how many back to backs the Lakers have had thus far in season?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Yeah that's rough, just about every team gets a stretch like that, I'm curious how many back to backs the Lakers have had thus far in season?

The Lakers have 19 back to backs. Just like Portland

10 teams have more than we do, and 5 teams have as many as we do

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I'd have to look, but I think just about every year to every team

I'd personally say going 3-1 in that situation is pretty good for any team. Would you agree?

 

[Mediocre Man]

I'd personally say going 3-1 in that situation is pretty good for any team. Would you agree?

Ya. I agree with what Matthews said. This team could have easily been 1-3 on this trip

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Ya. I agree with what Matthews said. This team could have easily been 1-3 on this trip

On the other hand, Indiana and San Antonio both went 4-0 on their respective 4 in 5's so far. OKC and MIA haven't played in one yet.

Regardless, I'm pretty impressed with 3-1, and it was good to see the Return of the Dame.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Let's put the current season into perspective... Let's just break it down for every 10 games.

1st 10 games - 8-2

2nd 10 games - 9-1

3rd group (not 10 yet) - 6-2

So as much as you may think the sky maybe falling; if we keep even a 7-3 for every 10 game average, we will be a 58 win team.

I don't think the sky is falling, I just tend to think that a regression closer to the mean is probably coming based on their deficiencies on defense.

Eventually all teams hit cold streaks and can't just outscore their opponents. Phoenix demonstrated this pretty clearly over the course of several years in the past decade when they were a great regular season team with a blistering offense and a mediocre to piss poor defense.

Whatever, the team is still better than I anticipated and I'm happy to see it because it actually makes watching them this year fun and hopefully Olshey will have an opportunity to improve the team at the deadline.

 

[julius]

Why should CJ help with interior play and defense?

The treatment he had has an odd side-effect. It allowed him to grown 8 inches in height, and 50 pounds in weight.

 

[julius]

the 3 wins are nice, but like it was said, they could just have easily been 1-3. BUT bottom line is they weren't. I hope they take the pseudo break and recharge the batteries. they kind of lucked into 2 of these wins.

 

[Mediocre Man]

The treatment he had has an odd side-effect. It allowed him to grown 8 inches in height, and 50 pounds in weight.

I knew the new training staff was gold

 

[Pinwheel1]

I don't think the sky is falling, I just tend to think that a regression closer to the mean is probably coming based on their deficiencies on defense.

Eventually all teams hit cold streaks and can't just outscore their opponents. Phoenix demonstrated this pretty clearly over the course of several years in the past decade when they were a great regular season team with a blistering offense and a mediocre to piss poor defense.

Whatever, the team is still better than I anticipated and I'm happy to see it because it actually makes watching them this year fun and hopefully Olshey will have an opportunity to improve the team at the deadline.

I agree with this. This loss tells us nothing. I have seen teams much better than this one, get crushed on the road. However I do think we need to prepare for the inevitable, the Blazers will not continue to win 80% of their games. But even 60% from here on out gives us a pretty good record by the end of the season.

Like all teams we do have some deficiencies. Some match ups will be tougher than others. And automatically thinking we should easily win against any team (with a few exceptions) is not practical. The good thing is I think the players on this team are smart enough to realize this. If they are not, they will be after a few more losses like last night. They need to bring it every night. (Which is not possible)

The dilemma I have had the last couple of weeks is who to root for when SA and OKC play other western playoff teams. Do I root for them to lose or accept that they will end up a head of us and root against the other teams who will be fighting us for that 4 place spot. I think it is important that we at least get home court advantage in the first round. At the moment 4th is my goal. Higher and lower are both possible, but teams like Houston and the Clippers are the ones I am rooting against the most.

 

[magnifier661]

I don't think the sky is falling, I just tend to think that a regression closer to the mean is probably coming based on their deficiencies on defense.

Eventually all teams hit cold streaks and can't just outscore their opponents. Phoenix demonstrated this pretty clearly over the course of several years in the past decade when they were a great regular season team with a blistering offense and a mediocre to piss poor defense.

Whatever, the team is still better than I anticipated and I'm happy to see it because it actually makes watching them this year fun and hopefully Olshey will have an opportunity to improve the team at the deadline.

This is why I enjoy your posts. Although you won't be giddy like me with our accomplishments, you also won't flip the fuck out when we lose. This is why I believe you are the poster child for the true "realist".

I agree with you as well. I think Olshey is really waiting to see what happens with CJ coming back. I trust he will pull the trigger only if he knows it will help this ball club.

 

[TBpup]

Okay let's look at the real contenders of the NBA.

OKC: 9-4 against .500 ball clubs
SAS: 7-5 against .500 ball clubs
MIA: 5-2 against .500 ball clubs
Indiana: 5-3 against .500 ball clubs
Houston: 6-5 against .500 ball clubs

The rest aren't contenders. So we are on pace with all contenders except OKC. Not bad company!

Magnifier....thanks for finding that. So in terms of winning percentage, Portland is tied for 4th. Not bad. They have beaten OKC, Indy, SA and Houston but all at home. Their road trips in January get insanely tough at the end of the month.

Miami .714
OKC .692
Indy .625
Port .583
Spurs .583
Houst .545

 

[Strenuus]

This is why I enjoy your posts. Although you won't be giddy like me with our accomplishments, you also won't flip the fuck out when we lose. This is why I believe you are the poster child for the true "realist".

I agree with you as well. I think Olshey is really waiting to see what happens with CJ coming back. I trust he will pull the trigger only if he knows it will help this ball club.

Not towards Nik... but you know this is going to happen:

 

[magnifier661]

Magnifier....thanks for finding that. So in terms of winning percentage, Portland is tied for 4th. Not bad. They have beaten OKC, Indy, SA and Houston but all at home. Their road trips in January get insanely tough at the end of the month.

Miami .714
OKC .692
Indy .625
Port .583
Spurs .583
Houst .545

Which is damn good man! I don't disagree that the future games will be really tough, but it will be really tough for all other contenders as well.

As long as our club is in the same boat as other contenders, I'm fine with that. We are playing with "house money" right now.

 

[BBert]

Talk about a straw man OP. Who said the sky is falling? The team survived a tough 4 games in 5 nights stretch. They were understandably exhausted after all that travel and work, so the 4th game, against a tough team, on their court, was a tough hill to climb. All I've seen is praise for this season and this road trip.

At the same time, there is no reason to stick our heads in the sand if there are areas of the team that are weak and the team should look to improve, if possible. Like the play of the bench. The team would benefit from improved bench play, or improved bench personnel, if possible. That's just reality.

Again, who the heck said the sky is falling? This is one of the best early seasons the Blazers have ever had. And I'm enjoying it.

 

[Strenuus]

Magnifier....thanks for finding that. So in terms of winning percentage, Portland is tied for 4th. Not bad. They have beaten OKC, Indy, SA and Houston but all at home. Their road trips in January get insanely tough at the end of the month.

Miami .714
OKC .692
Indy .625
Port .583
Spurs .583
Houst .545

I'm excited for this stretch. I like seeing where we can get challenged, and having this road trip of really close wins against the "weaker" teams, I hope the team can see that they need to bring it more (like the 2nd half of tonight's game, but on more rest).

I think we will do fine. I am confused though, how are we playing portland on the road? (unless you're just doing % of the top teams, and I swung and missed.)