Catching Fire at the Right Time

[Stevenson]

There is so much to be said for the power of a late season surge. I remember in 2000, the Lakers were good, but not great during the season, and then caught fire the last month or so and steamrolled into the playoffs.

Sound familiar?

In addition, aside from playing great, by capturing home court advantage we dramatically increased our chances of winning round 1. Consider this fro SI: "Since 1984, 78.2 percent of first-round series have been won by the teams hosting Game 1."

Go Blazers!!

 

[Nikolokolus]

There is so much to be said for the power of a late season surge. I remember in 2000, the Lakers were good, but not great during the season, and then caught fire the last month or so and steamrolled into the playoffs.

Sound familiar?

In addition, aside from playing great, by capturing home court advantage we dramatically increased our chances of winning round 1. Consider this fro SI: "Since 1984, 78.2 percent of first-round series have been won by the teams hosting Game 1."

Go Blazers!!

Here's another stat I heard on courtside the other night. 51% of the series between 4 and 5 seeds has been won by the 5 ... still excited?

 

[KingSpeed]

There is so much to be said for the power of a late season surge. I remember in 2000, the Lakers were good, but not great during the season, and then caught fire the last month or so and steamrolled into the playoffs.

No. The Lakers steamrolled through the whole season and went 67-15. You might be thinking of 2001 when the Blazers were leading the West in March and then completely collapsed. The Lakers won their last 8 games of the season and then swept through the first three rounds of the playoffs before losing to the Sixers in Game 1 of the Finals. Boy, that was quite a run. Derek Fisher was so hot. He almost deserved MVP of the Finals.

 

[Entity]

Here's another stat I heard on courtside the other night. 51% of the series between 4 and 5 seeds has been won by the 5 ... still excited?

But only 39% since 2000!!!

 

[Stevenson]

No. The Lakers steamrolled through the whole season and went 67-15. You might be thinking of 2001 when the Blazers were leading the West in March and then completely collapsed. The Lakers won their last 8 games of the season and then swept through the first three rounds of the playoffs before losing to the Sixers in Game 1 of the Finals. Boy, that was quite a run. Derek Fisher was so hot. He almost deserved MVP of the Finals.

You are right. I stand corrected. Thanks.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Portland Trail Blazers (4) vs. Houston Rockets (5)
Season Series Results: 2-1, Houston
Upset Potential: Strong
Do you like a little history? Well, the Rockets have been the No. 5 seed in the West four times in the previous 10 seasons and each time, they failed to pull off the upset over the higher-seeded foe. On the other hand, of the nine times the No. 5 seed beat the No. 4 seed during the regular-season series (as the Rockets did this season), four went on to win the postseason matchup too, giving Houston just about even odds from that standpoint. Plus, Tracy McGrady isn't around to continue his first-round playoff jinx.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=4069997&addata=2009_insdr_mod_nba_xxx_xxx

Just saying.

 

[GoBlazersGo]

What the hell is with you bein' Debbie-Fucking-Downer, Nik'?

 

[Nikolokolus]

What the hell is with you bein' Debbie-Fucking-Downer, Nik'?

Not trying to be all Mixum-y ... Maybe the constant sunshine pumping I've been reading is getting to me.

Let's just watch them play a single game before we get too pumped up about the team's prospects for a series win.

 

[GoBlazersGo]

Let's just watch them play a single game before we get too pumped up about the team's prospects for a series win.

Sure, but at the same time "[l]et's just watch them play a single game before we get too" Debbie-Fucking-Downer and go pissin' on everybody's parade... deal?

 

[Nikolokolus]

Sure, but at the same time "[l]et's just watch them play a single game before we get too" Debbie-Fucking-Downer and go pissin' on everybody's parade... deal?

no parades until they win a 'ship'

 

[GoBlazersGo]

no parades until they win a 'ship'

"SORRY ITS TEH TRUHT!!111!!1!!1!1!11!11! !!1!!!1"