Blazers projected 50 wins, 5th seed in the west (ESPN Power Rankings)

[OSUBlazerfan]

ESPN has a pretty cool NBA season preview feature where the Blazers land 5th in the west. I think they are pretty spot on with their assessment, and personally, just because we might finish 5th, doesn't mean we are contenders. I truly believe that all 8 West playoff teams are contenders.

http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/11670109/power-rankings

 

[ShareTheRock]

I'd really hate to see the win total drop but the west is stacked. It's possible to lose more game but actually be a batter team.

 

[THE HCP]

Sounds about right

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

How are the Warriors better than us? New coach, Injury prone players (Curry, Lee, Bogut and Livingston) and they lack depth in the frontcourt.

 

[Eastoff]

I think this is respectable and fair.

 

[KingSpeed]

Last year, we were 11th in the West in SI's preview and none of the Inside the NBA guys picked us to make the playoffs. So if we're picked 5th this year, we'll probably finish1st.

 

[BlazerWookee]

I'd really hate to see the win total drop but the west is stacked. It's possible to lose more game but actually be a batter team.

Personally, I'd like to be on a butter team.

 

[magnifier661]

We will be the #2 seed in the West. Bank on it

 

[Rhal]

We will be the #2 seed in the West. Bank on it

Come on mags im as big of a homer as you and even im not going... Fuck it I say #1 in the west, were coming for you SA!

 

[magnifier661]

Come on mags im as big of a homer as you and even im not going... Fuck it I say #1 in the west, were coming for you SA!

Booooooom goes the dynamite!

 

[VanillaGorilla]

How are the Warriors better than us? New coach, Injury prone players (Curry, Lee, Bogut and Livingston) and they lack depth in the frontcourt.

I'm with you, I think we're better than the Warriors.

 

[KingSpeed]

We will be the #2 seed in the West. Bank on it

Who's first?

By the way, Utah is gonna surprise people this year and challenge for a playoff seed. You heard it here first.

 

[magnifier661]

Who's first?

By the way, Utah is gonna surprise people this year and challenge for a playoff seed. You heard it here first.

Probably the spurs

 

[BlazerBeav]

GSW gets way too much love because of Curry. Curry and Thompson are a nice duo, but I sure as hell wouldn't trade that pairing for Dame and the L-Train.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

GSW gets way too much love because of Curry. Curry and Thompson are a nice duo, but I sure as hell wouldn't trade that pairing for Dame and the L-Train.

This. They're no different than those suns teams with Nash and Joe Johnson.

 

[Sinobas]

Which team will we see? The Blazers started off the season really hot but finished playing .500 ball. Looked great vs Houston and like crap vs SA.

 

[THE HCP]

We will be the #2 seed in the West. Bank on it

Bet a steak dinner on that FAMS?


Sent from my Baller-Ass 5.5" iPhone 6+......... FAMS

 

[Rhal]

Which team will we see? The Blazers started off the season really hot but finished playing .500 ball. Looked great vs Houston and like crap vs SA.

We didn't finish playing .500 ball we won 9 of our last 10 and 12 of our last 20 so you can either say we finished playing .900 ball or .600 ball.

 

[kjironman1]

This has been my question for a while now. I don't see the Warriors as a better team than the Blazers but then I am a little biased I guess.

How are the Warriors better than us? New coach, Injury prone players (Curry, Lee, Bogut and Livingston) and they lack depth in the frontcourt.

 

[magnifier661]

Bet a steak dinner on that FAMS?


Sent from my Baller-Ass 5.5" iPhone 6+......... FAMS

Let me repay the last one first!

 

[blue9]

We didn't finish playing .500 ball we won 9 of our last 10 and 12 of our last 20 so you can either say we finished playing .900 ball or .600 ball.

It all depends on where you count from. Personally, I think our hot start ended NYE at 25-7 with a win over OKC. After that we went 29/21. They made a spirited effort at the end of the season to stay above .500 after their torrid start.

 

[Pinwheel1]

GSW gets way too much love because of Curry. Curry and Thompson are a nice duo, but I sure as hell wouldn't trade that pairing for Dame and the L-Train.

Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, F. H Barnes, Lee, Bogut, Green, Speights, Livingston.....not bad at all. But you could be right. It really comes down to keeping Curry and Bogut healthy.

 

[BrianFromWA]

This. They're no different than those suns teams with Nash and Joe Johnson.

Those Suns teams were pretty effing good.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Those Suns teams were pretty effing good.

The only Suns team with Joe Johnson that was any good was the '05 squad, on which Nash was league MVP, Stoudamire was 9th in MVP voting and all-NBA second team, and Shawn Marion was an all-star and all NBA-third team.

So sure, add two all-NBA forwards the Dubs' roster and sure, they'd probably be OK.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I was just noting that the comparison to the 2004-5 and 2005-6 Suns squads was probably not what BDSfan was attempting to portray.

And now that I've written that, I think I'm going to anoint him a Mariner fan as well so that I can abbreviate him as BDSM fan.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I was just noting that the comparison to the 2004-5 and 2005-6 Suns squads was probably not what BDSfan was attempting to portray.

And now that I've written that, I think I'm going to anoint him a Mariner fan as well so that I can abbreviate him as BDSM fan.

Understood--but Johnson was only in PHX from '02 - '05, so for the majority of the time he was Phoenix, BDSM fan™'s comparison is valid.

 

[Reep]

Spots 2-5 in the West are a total coin toss. Those teams could be in any order depending on health and other factors. Even though we are listed as 5, I think that whole group will be very tight.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

I was just noting that the comparison to the 2004-5 and 2005-6 Suns squads was probably not what BDSfan was attempting to portray.

And now that I've written that, I think I'm going to anoint him a Mariner fan as well so that I can abbreviate him as BDSM fan.

Never had to anoint me, already am one.

Now, who wants a choker and some assless chaps?

 

[Strenuus]

Never had to anoint me, already am one.

Now, who wants a choker and some assless chaps?

Oh, this is just too easy...

 

[Boob-No-More]

The Warriors, if healthy (and that's a BIG if) are better than the Blazer defensively. Bogut, Iguodala and Draymond Green are all good to great defenders. Offensively, they are similar to the Blazers, but get less scoring from their 4 and 5. So, slightly less efficient on offense, but that was under Mark Jackson. It will be interesting to see their new offensive schemes under Steve Kerr. Kerr has played for some of the best offensive coaches in the history of the game. It will be interesting to see what he can do with this Warriors roster.

Personally, I put them behind the Blazers as they have a recent history of significant injuries (especially Bogut, who is the heart of their defense). The Blazers finished ahead of them last season, our core is intact and in their primes, has another year of experience playing together under Stotts' system, we significantly upgraded our bench (Kaman especially) and young guys like C.J., Barton and TRob should all be improved compared to last season.

BNM