Blazers Play-in Thread (6 Viewers)

[KingSpeed]

Clinched the postseason tonight for first time in 5 years. Now let’s make the playoffs. I think we can beat Phoenix in Phoenix. Esp if we’re fully healthy (short of Dame maybe?) Let’s get that 8 spot so that we can get 7 seed. Spurs/Blazers- very little experience on both sides.

 

[BassPlaya]

Clinched the postseason tonight for first time in 5 years. Now let’s make the playoffs. I think we can beat Phoenix in Phoenix. Esp if we’re fully healthy (short of Dame maybe?) Let’s get that 8 spot so that we can get 7 seed. Spurs/Blazers- very little experience on both sides.

I'm with you. This is what it's about.

 

[BassPlaya]

I will never NOT try to be funny FAMS! NEVER!

Fixed it for you.

 

[julius]

Moses Moody is probably done for at least a year, so the Warriors are most likely an easy out in the 1st round.

Just gotta get past the Suns or Clippers...the Blazers will coug up this draft in the most blazery way possible.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Yeah getting that 8th slot should be the goal. The two Clippers games are huge.

I'm not worried about ultimately ending with the 7 or 8 seed, either OKC or SAS are powerhouse teams. Will be impressive if we could just avoid getting swept.

But assuming playin games are a coin flip, 8 spot has 75% chance vs 25% of 9th. Huge advantage to only need to win one of two games vs having to win both games to make playoffs.

I'd rather make the playoffs and finally payoff the Chicago pick debt. It'll unlock 3 years of Blazers picks and fully guarantee the Bucks swap. Hell I'd offer Chicago the pick even if it ends up in the lottery.

Having Blazers playin or playoff games is just a bonus.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If we fail in the play-in, do we keep our pick? I need to know what to hope for.

 

[Strenuus]

Until the team is actually good, play in and playoffs dont matter. This is just a waste of time and im thankful this post is the only waste of time ill make about them for it.

 

[julius]

If we fail in the play-in, do we keep our pick? I need to know what to hope for.

Yes. Dallas and Atlanta, the last 2 #1 pick winners, both played in the play-in and lost.

 

[riverman]

Until the team is actually good, play in and playoffs dont matter. This is just a waste of time and im thankful this post is the only waste of time ill make about them for it.

If you are anybody on our roster not named Dame, not making the playoffs is the waste of time. Sharpe and Tou are getting paid bank now to just hang out in Cabo offseason? If you actually think playoff experience for Clingan is a bad thing I don't know what to tell you other than...you're wrong. How do you think young players get actually good? Playing video games at home? I'd rather sign Caleb Love for next season than worry about ping pong balls bringing the next Yang Hansen to the team. Maybe you're just a super Remix fan?

 

[SheedSoNasty]

Until the team is actually good, play in and playoffs dont matter. This is just a waste of time and im thankful this post is the only waste of time ill make about them for it.

Get help

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Yes. Dallas and Atlanta, the last 2 #1 pick winners, both played in the play-in and lost.

Let's go for a THREEPEAT

 

[SharpesTriumph]

If we fail in the play-in, do we keep our pick? I need to know what to hope for.

If you want to root for the most Blazers picks you should root for them to miss the playoffs this year, plus miss in 2027 and 2028. Then we only send Chicago a 2nd rounder.

27-2028 season would be kind of crazy if we miss the playoffs the next two seasons. We'd only get the unprotected Bucks swap if we missed the playoffs. So it would be a massive tanking incentive with double unprotected lottery chances. But completely zero picks with zero lottery chance if we make the playoffs. I don't recall any NBA team ever having that big of a tanking incentive.

While completely unlinked to the Blazers/Bucks 2028 picks - we'd also have a completely unprotected Orlando lottery pick that 2028 draft.

Then 2029 we get best unprotected of Blazers, Bucks, Celtics. Then best unprotected of 2030 Blazer and Bucks. Will potentially be super exciting 3 year run of drafts.

 

[BBert]

Until the team is actually good, play in and playoffs dont matter. This is just a waste of time and im thankful this post is the only waste of time ill make about them for it.

We all are.

 

[RR7]

If you want to root for the most Blazers picks you should root for them to miss the playoffs this year, plus miss in 2027 and 2028. Then we only send Chicago a 2nd rounder.

27-2028 season would be kind of crazy if we miss the playoffs the next two seasons. We'd only get the unprotected Bucks swap if we missed the playoffs. So it would be a massive tanking incentive with double unprotected lottery chances. But completely zero picks with zero lottery chance if we make the playoffs. I don't recall any NBA team ever having that big of a tanking incentive.

While completely unlinked to the Blazers/Bucks 2028 picks - we'd also have a completely unprotected Orlando lottery pick that 2028 draft.

Then 2029 we get best unprotected of Blazers, Bucks, Celtics. Then best unprotected of 2030 Blazer and Bucks. Will potentially be super exciting 3 year run of drafts.

So tank for 2 more seasons? JFC why do we even bother fielding a team.

 

[BassPlaya]

For my own interest, I queried, "What is the point of a sporting match?"
and got this.....

A sporting match serves as a structured, competitive arena to test physical and mental limits, offering entertainment, promoting health, and fostering community. Beyond simply winning or losing, matches encourage the development of character, discipline, and teamwork while providing a safe, controlled outlet for tension and emotion.

Funny....no where in that description is their a place about losing being the desired result.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

So tank for 2 more seasons? JFC why do we even bother fielding a team.

Yeah agreed - thats why I'd rather just make the playoffs this year and be done with it. The 4 years of tanking we did for Sharpe, Scoot, Clingan, Yang was enough IMO.

But some people are still rooting hard for losing here this season in year 5. If your rooting for that seems to me you might as well root for the complete 7 years of tanking.

 

[THE HCP]

Fixed it for you.

Somebody deleted my post. The person it was aimed at…..CAN’T SEE IT…… that’s the comedic value of said post. Has to be a first in S2 history right? @SlyPokerDog keep your dogs on a leash.

 

[Freshtown]

We need to keep our pick and hope for top 4 this year. Making the 8 seed and losing 4-0 is useless

 

[e_blazer]

We need to keep our pick and hope for top 4 this year. Making the 8 seed and losing 4-0 is useless

Ah, the 9.4% plan. Well, it worked for the Mavs.

 

[Everything Beagle]

Until the team is actually good, play in and playoffs dont matter. This is just a waste of time and im thankful this post is the only waste of time ill make about them for it.

Here’s a fun fact: if we make the play-in, that means we’re good enough to make the play-in. And if we make the playoffs, that means we’re good enough to make the playoffs.

 

[julius]

You could argue, rather easily, that the team didn't tank this year and could end up being only a handful of games out of a guaranteed playoff spot and had they been healthy they would have made the playoffs easily

 

[wizenheimer]

it's really difficult to game the last 6-8 games of the season because it's kind of unpredictable what top-6 teams will be doing to close the season

* OKC has a 3 game lead over the Spurs and a 4.5 game lead over the Pistons for #1 seed. Once they secure that seed they will probably start resting players. But they won't do it too early because the Spurs own the tiebreaker against OKC

* The Spurs trail OKC by 3 games, but since they own the tiebreaker, it's only a 2 game lead for OKC. Portland plays at San Antonio in the 80th game of the season. Will the Spurs be mailing-it-in by that point in time? Or are they good enough to beat Portland while resting Wemby?

* the Lakers have the 3rd seed by 2 games over Denver & Minny; and 2.5 over Houston. But they own the tiebreakers over all 3 teams and their team health is iffy. When will they start shutting down starters?

* Denver is in a 3 team battle for 4th seed and HCA. They will probably have to fight thru game 82 and the Blazers have to visit Denver, again, in game 79

Blazers and Clippers are in a battle for 8th-9th seed. Clippers currently own the tiebreaker and may have an easier schedule than Portland. And there is still a home-and-home left between the 2 teams. If Clippers win one of those games they own the tiebreaker and that could be decisive. Besides those 2 games, Blazers have road games at Denver and San Antonio. Clippers have home games against San Antonio and OKC (game 80). Maybe the team that upsets the top teams in one of those games get 8th seed. So again, what will those top teams be doing at game time

 

[blazerfan11]

We need to keep our pick and hope for top 4 this year. Making the 8 seed and losing 4-0 is useless

It's not useless because the obligation to Chicago is gone.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

it's really difficult to game the last 6-8 games of the season because it's kind of unpredictable what top-6 teams will be doing to close the season

* OKC has a 3 game lead over the Spurs and a 4.5 game lead over the Pistons for #1 seed. Once they secure that seed they will probably start resting players. But they won't do it too early because the Spurs own the tiebreaker against OKC

* The Spurs trail OKC by 3 games, but since they own the tiebreaker, it's only a 2 game lead for OKC. Portland plays at San Antonio in the 80th game of the season. Will the Spurs be mailing-it-in by that point in time? Or are they good enough to beat Portland while resting Wemby?

* the Lakers have the 3rd seed by 2 games over Denver & Minny; and 2.5 over Houston. But they own the tiebreakers over all 3 teams and their team health is iffy. When will they start shutting down starters?

* Denver is in a 3 team battle for 4th seed and HCA. They will probably have to fight thru game 82 and the Blazers have to visit Denver, again, in game 79

Blazers and Clippers are in a battle for 8th-9th seed. Clippers currently own the tiebreaker and may have an easier schedule than Portland. And there is still a home-and-home left between the 2 teams. If Clippers win one of those games they own the tiebreaker and that could be decisive. Besides those 2 games, Blazers have road games at Denver and San Antonio. Clippers have home games against San Antonio and OKC (game 80). Maybe the team that upsets the top teams in one of those games get 8th seed. So again, what will those top teams be doing at game time

Yeah we kind of know the tanking teams will be tanking - but your right the winning teams might be trying 100% to win or nearly resting every starter.

Will be interesting.

The two Clippers games are the only clear big ones I see.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

It's not useless because the obligation to Chicago is gone.

Yup - and fully guarantees the Bucks swap which might be far and away the best asset of all of these.

 

[julius]

It's not useless because the obligation to Chicago is gone.

In a year where the draft is loaded not just 1-3, but 4-14, it is useless.

 

[tlongII]

Until the team is actually good, play in and playoffs dont matter. This is just a waste of time and im thankful this post is the only waste of time ill make about them for it.

This is what I would expect a Trump voter to say!

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

If we fail in the play-in, do we keep our pick? I need to know what to hope for.

If we are foolish enough to finish 7th or 8th then we would only need to win one game (against possibly somebody like GS who would be trying to lose) to go into the playoffs and lose our pick. LAC does not own their pick so they have the incentive to win. Not sure if PHX is in the tank yet or not. Best bet is to finish 9th or 10th so we would have to win two to get into playoffs. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. We have the most incentive to lose I believe since we are the only team in this range that would lose a pick in a really good draft if we get into playoffs. Cronin should lose his job if he allows this to happen.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

We need to keep our pick and hope for top 4 this year. Making the 8 seed and losing 4-0 is useless

Don't even need to hope for top 4. There will be a very good player available this year if we can stay right where we are in the tankathon.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

So tank for 2 more seasons? JFC why do we even bother fielding a team.

Right. Not practical to tank that long. Barring bad injuries, and after getting a good player from this year's really good draft, we should easily make the playoffs next year and give Chicago their pick in a poor draft.