Bill Simmons calls POR a "sleeper"

[illmatic99]

Ranks us the eighth best team in the playoffs.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/110408&sportCat=nba

Quite a bit of love for Aldridge too.

 

[tlongII]

That's nice, but Simmons don't know shit.

 

[Masbee]

Yeah, it seems the Blazers are becoming the trendy dark horse candidate in the West. Amazing how fashion trends go.

The current trend:

Lakers are the favorites, and their recent mini-slide means little.

Spurs are legit, and can easily make a run into the finals if the big-three are healthy.

Thunder are knocking on the door, and if the big two slip, OKC is waiting to steal the crown.

Dallas is everybody's favorite punching bag team right now, with lots predicting a likely early exit.

Denver has had a great run since the Carmelo trade, but without a SuperStar how could they possibly be picked to do anything. The playoffs are different basketball.

Portland is now getting tons of buzz for the "with the right matchups, I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the Conference Finals" line.

Damn. I would rather Portland be the big underdogs.

 

[Rhal]

Damn Webber and his talk of us upsetting whoever we play. He started it all!

 

[HailBlazers]

Simmons don't know shiat! Top five baby, and NOBODY is sleeping on the Zers

 

[julius]

I think Portland was considered a "sleeper" the last two years too.

 

[Rhal]

I think Portland was considered a "sleeper" the last two years too.

Meh in 2009 half the analysts seemed to pick us to win the first round vs rockets so you can't call us a sleeper that year. As for 2010 yea we were seeing as we beat the suns in the season series but injuries cost us our depth.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

In that article he also rated Travis as the worst player in the league who played more than 700 minutes:

"Travis Outlaw: A one-dimensional player who lost that dimension (making just 29 percent of his 3s this season) just one year into a five-year, $35 million deal. Anytime you're a wealthier, cap-killing Rasual Butler, you're my Least Valuable Player. I'm glad we settled this."

 

[VanillaGorilla]

In that article he also rated Travis as the worst player in the league who played more than 700 minutes:

"Travis Outlaw: A one-dimensional player who lost that dimension (making just 29 percent of his 3s this season) just one year into a five-year, $35 million deal. Anytime you're a wealthier, cap-killing Rasual Butler, you're my Least Valuable Player. I'm glad we settled this."

That's probably very true.