Blazers vs Rockets for the #3 Seed!

[hoopsjock]

Getting 2 also increases our chances of getting OKC round one. If we want LA/Utah in the first round with HCA and try like hell to avoid GS second round, #3 should suffice.

I'm always of the opinion that it's bad to try and position yourself for certain matchups. I'm in favor of just worrying about yourself and getting the best seed possible. The rest of the seeds could still change too.

 

[illmatic99]

I'm always of the opinion that it's bad to try and position yourself for certain matchups. I'm in favor of just worrying about yourself and getting the best seed possible. The rest of the seeds could still change too.

Sure, but if we are locked into a top 4 seed, I'd rather just rest Dame and our bigs for as many games as possible and let the chips fall around them.

To me: Dame getting rest >>>>>>>> going all out to fight for a meaningless #2 seed.

 

[wizenheimer]

On the flip side if Houston beats Denver we'd only be 3 games behind them. It's probably not worth going all out for but the door would still be slightly open for the 2nd seed.

Denver owns the tiebreaker so essentially, it would be 4 games behind. I think the chances that the Blazers can go 6-2 the rest of the way are just about zero. They could easily rack up two more losses on this road trip. But just say Portland does stay hot and ends at 53 wins, all Denver has to do is go 3-6 over their last 9 games and they get 2nd seed...and they have just gone 8-2 over their last 10. From 8-2 to 3-6...?? Doesn't seem realistic even though they have a difficult remaining schedule

 

[hoopsjock]

Denver owns the tiebreaker so essentially, it would be 4 games behind. I think the chances that the Blazers can go 6-2 the rest of the way are just about zero. They could easily rack up two more losses on this road trip. But just say Portland does stay hot and ends at 53 wins, all Denver has to do is go 3-6 over their last 9 games and they get 2nd seed...and they have just gone 8-2 over their last 10. From 8-2 to 3-6...?? Doesn't seem realistic even though they have a difficult remaining schedule

I'm aware of the tiebreaker. Your numbers are a little misleading because we were talking about if Denver lost the game tonight and we'd obviously have to win the two head-to-head match-ups. So IF both of those happened we'd need to make up 2 games out of the remaining 6. Denver plays OKC, Washington, GS, SA, Utah, and Minnesota. They could possibly go 2-4 in those games.

Sure, it's unlikely still but all I said was the door would be "slightly open". I'm not saying it's realistic or predicting it to happen.

 

[hoopsjock]

Sure, but if we are locked into a top 4 seed, I'd rather just rest Dame and our bigs for as many games as possible and let the chips fall around them.

To me: Dame getting rest >>>>>>>> going all out to fight for a meaningless #2 seed.

If Nurk was coming back for the playoffs I'd probably agree with you. If Dame got this team to the 2nd seed after CJ and Nurk went down he just might sneak into the MVP conversation with Harden and Giannis. Maybe a guy like Anthony Davis would take notice and agree to sign long term here if traded. I'd love to get Dame some rest but we don't even really have another point guard on the roster right now. Plus we need to figure out how to play with different rotations right now and can't really afford to wait until the playoffs to experiment with that.

 

[illmatic99]

If Nurk was coming back for the playoffs I'd probably agree with you. If Dame got this team to the 2nd seed after CJ and Nurk went down he just might sneak into the MVP conversation with Harden and Giannis. Maybe a guy like Anthony Davis would take notice and agree to sign long term here if traded. I'd love to get Dame some rest but we don't even really have another point guard on the roster right now. Plus we need to figure out how to play with different rotations right now and can't really afford to wait until the playoffs to experiment with that.

Ya I definitely disagree.

Scratching and clawing up to #2 won't matter one bit if we get swept in the playoffs like we did last year after going all out to land the #3 seed. Dame was 4th in MVP voting last year-- didn't matter at all for luring players to town.

 

[hoopsjock]

Ya I definitely disagree.

Scratching and clawing up to #2 won't matter one bit if we get swept in the playoffs like we did last year after going all out to land the #3 seed. Dame was 4th in MVP voting last year-- didn't matter at all for luring players to town.

It's gonna take a miracle to have any playoff success this year. I don't really think the seed makes a whole lot of difference other than of course having HCA. We're just as likely to lose in the 1st round with a rested Dame.

 

[Cugel]

My feeling is that Utah overtakes us and ends up at 4, Houston is a lock at 3, us at 5.
We will face Utah in the first round which isnt bad but Gobert will just kill us.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

My feeling is that Utah overtakes us and ends up at 4, Houston is a lock at 3, us at 5.
We will face Utah in the first round which isnt bad but Gobert will just kill us.

I believe the same, which is why I want Meyers starting in Nurk's absence. If we're going to face Gobert, we need to be able to draw him out of the paint. Kanter can't do that.

 

[trailblazer18]

Ya I definitely disagree.

Scratching and clawing up to #2 won't matter one bit if we get swept in the playoffs like we did last year after going all out to land the #3 seed. Dame was 4th in MVP voting last year-- didn't matter at all for luring players to town.

Not sure we went all out to get the 3 seed last year. We finished 5-7 in our last 12 of the regular season, then 0-4 in playoffs. That poor play started within a week of Dame's kid being born. I really think that had an effect on the end of the season.

 

[ehizzy3]

I'm always of the opinion that it's bad to try and position yourself for certain matchups. I'm in favor of just worrying about yourself and getting the best seed possible. The rest of the seeds could still change too.

yea we should win every game possible and let the matchups fall where they do. Even tho I do want the clippers haha. But even last year, most of us thought the Pelicans were a good first round matchup and we got dominated

 

[riverman]

Home court advantage is all that matter to me...you have to beat good teams to advance...there are no bad teams in the west period. Legs don't get less tired in the second round or conference finals...better to knock down the contender early. I don't see a favorable matchup for us without Nurk at all.

 

[dviss1]

Jesus guys. Stop crying about Utah.

We'll SMASH them without Nurk.

 

[dviss1]

My feeling is that Utah overtakes us and ends up at 4, Houston is a lock at 3, us at 5.
We will face Utah in the first round which isnt bad but Gobert will just kill us.

Us?

Who's burner account is this making bad predictions?

 

[dviss1]

I believe the same, which is why I want Meyers starting in Nurk's absence. If we're going to face Gobert, we need to be able to draw him out of the paint. Kanter can't do that.

Why because he doesn't shoot threes like Meyers? He's got a solid J.

I'm interested in seeing his percentages based on distance.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I am way bummed about our playoff chances without Nurkic. I agree with HJ though you just try to win games, you dont try to position yourself for a certain match up.

If they can figure out how to beat traps and teams trying to take Dame out they can still maybe figure out how to win some games.

 

[tykendo]

Every game remaining is winnable. Will they? Probably not, but I never say never as long as the Letter 0 is around.

 

[illmatic99]

freaking nuggets

 

[crandc]

No help from Denver. Hope they crumble like that against Portland

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

No help from Denver. Hope they crumble like that against Portland

Maybe the Blazers can still catch Denver?

 

[KingSpeed]

Maybe the Blazers can still catch Denver?

8-0 vs 4-4 gets it done. 6-2 vs 2-6 more realistic?

 

[joeBlazers]

Our schedule is very tough.
Atlanta, Detroit, Minnesota, Denver, Lakers, ...

8-0 vs 4-4 gets it done. 6-2 vs 2-6 more realistic?

 

[KingSpeed]

Our schedule is very tough.
Atlanta, Detroit, Minnesota, Denver, Lakers, ...

Denver is only good team there

 

[TBpup]

Well hello Jake!

 

[hoopsjock]

I wish the standings as of tonight were the final seedings.

GS vs OKC

Hou vs Utah

Den vs SA

Por vs LAC

I love all those matchups. I also like GS having to go through both OKC and most likely Houston to get to the WCF. If we were to beat the Clippers we'd likely play Denver in the 2nd round. It's frustrating to think about how open it seems like it could've been.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Rockets have a fairly easy schedule too.