Forum Game Down the stretch they go!

[KSF-ERIC]

you do more than that. You "root'' for Portland, and you spend a lot of time here trashing people who don't root for Portland in the same way you do

There’s only one way to root for this team: Go Blazers! If you’re rooting for losses or trashing the team after a couple bad games (or in the MIDDLE of a game), you’re not a very good fan.

 

[Strenuus]

And what’s delusional about rooting for your team? You either root for them or you don’t. I root for them.

I root for them too.

I'm just realistic when they aren't good.

 

[blazerkor]

There’s only one way to root for this team: Go Blazers! If you’re rooting for losses or trashing the team after a couple bad games (or in the MIDDLE of a game), you’re not a very good fan.

By "trashing" do you mean criticism whether it's warranted or not?

 

[Strenuus]

There’s only one way to root for this team: Go Blazers! If you’re rooting for losses or trashing the team after a couple bad games (or in the MIDDLE of a game), you’re not a very good fan.

If they suck, as a fan you have a right to point it out. It doesn't make you any less of a fan than if you never criticize them.

If you can have one way to look at being a fan, so can we. Deal?

 

[wizenheimer]

By "trashing" do you mean criticism whether it's warranted or not?

I think it's obvious that's what he means

 

[Strenuus]

I think it's obvious that's what he means

You can never criticize anyone on the team. Only cheer.

"Blevins fucking sucks"

"In the 2 minutes he has played this season he was a +1. HES A NET POSITVE FOR THIS TEAM"

"Powell is a better fit than cj for this team"

"You must love all our players you poser!"

Or something along those lines.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

By "trashing" do you mean criticism whether it's warranted or not?

I mean unwarranted predictions of doom and gloom like 3-9 in last 12. Bringing out the “Rebuild” threads while we’re in a competitive playoff race. Rooting for us to lose. Betting against the team. Etc.

 

[Strenuus]

I mean unwarranted predictions of doom and gloom like 3-9 in last 12. Bringing out the “Rebuild” threads while we’re in a competitive playoff race. Rooting for us to lose. Betting against the team. Etc.

To which they have a right to do.

Especially with betting. Bet with your head not your heart.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

You can never criticize anyone on the team. Only cheer.

"Blevins fucking sucks"

"In the 2 minutes he has played this season he was a +1. HES A NET POSITVE FOR THIS TEAM"

"Powell is a better fit than cj for this team"

"You must love all our players you poser!"

Or something along those lines.

It’s not my job to criticize the team. That’s Stotts’ job. That’s Olshey’s job. That’s Phil Bleckner’s job. Supporting the team is my job. Not sure why the negative people think that’s their job as if they have a say in anything. You can choose to not buy tickets, jerseys, etc but then leave us alone here. If you’d rather be a Kings fan, be a Kings fan. Starting a thread that this is the worst Blazers team ever is bullshit.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

To which they have a right to do.

Especially with betting. Bet with your head not your heart.

You don’t have to bet ON the Blazers but betting against the Blazers is unforgivable.

 

[wizenheimer]

You don’t have to bet ON the Blazers but betting against the Blazers is unforgivable.

first, I want to say if it seems like I'm picking on you I apologize

next, I want to ask: are you a performance artist? because it's hard to believe everything you say comes from a real place

 

[wizenheimer]

I know I'm viewed as a Blazer skeptic and nega-numbnuts, but right now, I'm expecting Portland to win at least 1 of the next 2 games and I wouldn't be too surprised if the Blazers close by going 3-0

 

[Strenuus]

I know I'm viewed as a Blazer skeptic and nega-numbnuts, but right now, I'm expecting Portland to win at least 1 of the next 2 games and I wouldn't be too surprised if the Blazers close by going 3-0

My guess is 2-1. But I have a feeling they will Blazer one of the two games and go 1-2. Would 3-0 be awesome? Sure. But being realistic, they will drop a game somewhere and honestly that's fine at this point.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

My guess is 2-1. But I have a feeling they will Blazer one of the two games and go 1-2. Would 3-0 be awesome? Sure. But being realistic, they will drop a game somewhere and honestly that's fine at this point.

There's a difference between your "guess" and a "feeling"?

 

[BlazerWookee]

There’s only one way to root for this team: Go Blazers! If you’re rooting for losses or trashing the team after a couple bad games (or in the MIDDLE of a game), you’re not a very good fan.

Amen

 

[KSF-ERIC]

I root for them too.

I'm just realistic when they aren't good.

But realistic was that we go 9-1 after 5 game losing streak. That was the reality.

 

[bigbailes]

What's even funnier than reading Eric's posts is reading the posts of people trying to change his mindset. Guys, we know who Eric is at this point, he's NEVER going to change. In his mind winning the title this season is a realistic expectation, even if YEARS AND YEARS of evidence tells us otherwise. He's just wired in a way we aren't. He's never going to stop having his cup overflowing with rose colored water, it is what it is. Yes it can be annoying, just like the thread on this being the worst Blazer team of all time was annoying, but it's who he is. He's dead wrong on most of his predictions but let him beat his chest a little when the team is going good, because the rest of us realize that this team is heading for AT BEST a 2nd round exit.

 

[42N8Bounce]

The Blazers are the hottest team in the league right now. 9-1 in their last 10 games.

Blazers need 1 win in their last 2 games to lock up the 6th seed. 2 wins guarantees them the 5 the seed.

It’s been an up and down season, but I like where the Blazers are at. They’re starting to gel at the right time. I don’t think there’s a team out there that they can’t beat in a 7 game series. Championship teams need to have that attitude.

Let’s make some noise in the playoffs this year!

 

[tlongII]

We are playing very well now. Health is the key as usual.

 

[Shaboid]

The Blazers are the hottest team in the league right now. 9-1 in their last 10 games.

Blazers need 1 win in their last 2 games to lock up the 6th seed. 2 wins guarantees them the 5 the seed.

It’s been an up and down season, but I like where the Blazers are at. They’re starting to gel at the right time. I don’t think there’s a team out there that they can’t beat in a 7 game series. Championship teams need to have that attitude.

Let’s make some noise in the playoffs this year!

Any chance we can take a look at that chart of wins/over .500/previous year comparisons that you make? (I think it's you) This last little run should make it look pretty nice!

 

[wizenheimer]

We are playing very well now. Health is the key as usual.

true

in fact, if you think about this 9-1 streak, they played Indiana without Sabonis/Turner; Brooklyn without Durant/Harden; Lakers without Lebron/Shroder; Jazz without Mitchell/Conley

now, before people jump on me for saying that, I'm not saying it to dismiss what Portland has done. I'm pointing to the fact that a primary ingredient for a post-season run is to be healthy at the end of the season. Better to be healthy in May/June than in Jan/Feb. Portland is...other teams aren't

the stars could be aligning in the Blazer sky: they have everyone healthy and they are in a groove on both ends of the floor. Meanwhile most other WC playoff teams are not healthy. The Nuggets are without Murray and have questions about the health of Barton/Dozier/Morris; The Jazz have the questionable health of their starting back court; Lakers look like a potential playoff no-show with questions about Lebron and AD; Suns are missing Johnson/Nader.

I'm usually a skeptic about Portland's chances, but they sure appear to have a path to a good playoff run, especially if they can avoid the Clippers till the conference finals. A lot hinges on this Phoenix game though

 

[42N8Bounce]

Any chance we can take a look at that chart of wins/over .500/previous year comparisons that you make? (I think it's you) This last little run should make it look pretty nice!

The Blazers are a season-high 12 games over 500. That's 9 games ahead of last year's pace.

I want to see that line tick up a couple more notches before the end of the regular season!

 

[wizenheimer]

View attachment 38508

The Blazers are a season-high 12 games over 500. That's 9 games ahead of last year's pace.

I want to see that line tick up a couple more notches before the end of the regular season!

I think the 2018-19 Blazer team is a much better comp for this year's team. That team was 16 games over .500 at 7o games in. And they finished 24 games over .500 with a .646 winning percentage (best this year's team can do is .597). And, much like this year's team they were hot late in the season going 10-2 over the last 12 games (and 14-3 over the last 17). That team made it to the WC finals so hopefully, the similarities to this year's team continue

 

[wizenheimer]

speaking of "down the stretch", there's been a lot of chatter here about how the Blazers always seem to go on a late season run in the Dame/CJ era. So, I thought I'd refresh my memory:

* 2015-16: Finished 44-38; went 9-4 over their last 13 games (a 14-2 stretch in Jan/Feb); 5-6 in playoffs

* 2016-17: Finished 41-41; went 12-4 over their last 16 games; 0-4 in playoffs

* 2017-18 Finished 49-33; had a 13 game winning streak, but then closed the season 5-7; 0-4 in playoffs (the Pelicans series)

* 2018-19: Finished 53-29; went 14-3 over their last 17 games; 8-8 in playoffs while gaining WCF

* 2019-20: Finished 36-39 (includes play-in); went 8-2 over their last 10 games; 1-4 in playoffs

so yes, Blazers have closed the season with hot streaks in 4 of 5 seasons. The one exception was in 2017-18 when they closed with a 5-7 record and promptly afterward, created their 6-year low-point by getting swept by the Pels

in the other 4 seasons, Portland was hot at the end of the season, but that hasn't been a good predictor of what happens in the playoffs

 

[42N8Bounce]

speaking of "down the stretch", there's been a lot of chatter here about how the Blazers always seem to go on a late season run in the Dame/CJ era. So, I thought I'd refresh my memory:

* 2015-16: Finished 44-38; went 9-4 over their last 13 games (a 14-2 stretch in Jan/Feb); 5-6 in playoffs

* 2016-17: Finished 41-41; went 12-4 over their last 16 games; 0-4 in playoffs

* 2017-18 Finished 49-33; had a 13 game winning streak, but then closed the season 5-7; 0-4 in playoffs (the Pelicans series)

* 2018-19: Finished 53-29; went 14-3 over their last 17 games; 8-8 in playoffs while gaining WCF

* 2019-20: Finished 36-39 (includes play-in); went 8-2 over their last 10 games; 1-4 in playoffs

so yes, Blazers have closed the season with hot streaks in 4 of 5 seasons. The one exception was in 2017-18 when they closed with a 5-7 record and promptly afterward, created their 6-year low-point by getting swept by the Pels

in the other 4 seasons, Portland was hot at the end of the season, but that hasn't been a good predictor of what happens in the playoffs

This year will be different. I can feel it!

 

[KSF-ERIC]

What do you think the Blazers record will be over the last 12 games?

I'm predicting 2-10

Close. 10-2. I picked 8-2 for final 10 games and nailed it. Everybody in this thread was being “realistic” when I, in fact, was the one who was realistic. Enough is Enough!!!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Who do we play?

 

[Hoopguru]

Denver

 

[wizenheimer]

Close. 10-2. I picked 8-2 for final 10 games and nailed it. Everybody in this thread was being “realistic” when I, in fact, was the one who was realistic. Enough is Enough!!!

here's some more realism: Portland had to win their last game to avoid the Play-In

 

[Tince]

here's some more realism: Portland had to win their last game to avoid the Play-In

To be fair, that's about the position this roster, given the injuries, should have been expected to be in all along. Thinking top 4 would've been way over the top.