Great Expectations

[THE HCP]

I think we have a ridiculously tough first 24 games. With 3 new additions that are going to be key players in our rotation I think we are still going to be trying to gel on the court. Like I've said before, I think we might even be 12 and 12 at that point. When a team that has the expectations we do starts out .500 a quarter of the way through the season, is it going to get ugly around here? Not just on this board, but in the media in general. I can't think of a team that had such crazy expectations so quickly. I still think this team needs to be together for another year or so until I start expecting greatness. I will be patient, but I wonder about others.

 

[mook]

A lot will depend on how we lose. If the team has a couple of studs every night going off for big points, but just not enough collective production to get it done, I doubt there will be a lot of criticism. I mean, if Fernandez goes off for 30 one night in a loss, and Oden does the same thing the next night, will anybody really be that depressed? I doubt it.

 

[Tortimer]

I think we have a ridiculously tough first 24 games. With 3 new additions that are going to be key players in our rotation I think we are still going to be trying to gel on the court. Like I've said before, I think we might even be 12 and 12 at that point. When a team that has the expectations we do starts out .500 a quarter of the way through the season, is it going to get ugly around here? Not just on this board, but in the media in general. I can't think of a team that had such crazy expectations so quickly. I still think this team needs to be together for another year or so until I start expecting greatness. I will be patient, but I wonder about others.

I for the most part agree and think .500 through the first 24 games is about what I think they will do. I think the first month or two of the season was going to be tough with 3 rookies getting a lot of minutes anyway and with the tough schedule I would think 12-12 would be pretty decent. I think the team will start to play better just before the all star game and even better just after the all star game. I still think we could win 50+ games but I think it is possible we could only win 46-48 games. The west is a little weaker this year IMO and 48 wins will get you in the playoffs. I even think possibly 46 wins could even be enough. Last year was one of my favorite Blazers season ever and we only won 41. So, as long as we at least do better then last year I won't be completely disappointed but I still will be a little if we don't make the playoffs.

 

[THE HCP]

All I know is, we are the youngest team in the league and there are going to be some tough losses and we will win some games we have no business winning. I still think we are going to end up 50-32, with the 7th seed.

 

[DaRizzle]

So I just looked at your first 24 games and man they are tough...IMO you guys will be 9-15...you will also start off 0-5...sorry, honest opinion

 

[Tortimer]

So I just looked at your first 24 games and man they are tough...IMO you guys will be 9-15...you will also start off 0-5...sorry, honest opinion

There is a chance your are right but I think we will win some games we shouldn't. Especially the home opener against the Spurs. They will not have Manu yet and our home opener with Oden's first game should be special in the Rose Garden.

 

[gatorpops]

I think we have a ridiculously tough first 24 games. With 3 new additions that are going to be key players in our rotation I think we are still going to be trying to gel on the court. Like I've said before, I think we might even be 12 and 12 at that point. When a team that has the expectations we do starts out .500 a quarter of the way through the season, is it going to get ugly around here? Not just on this board, but in the media in general. I can't think of a team that had such crazy expectations so quickly. I still think this team needs to be together for another year or so until I start expecting greatness. I will be patient, but I wonder about others.

12 & 12 is what I perdicted a couple of weeks ago when the schedule came out.

We have all the pieces we had last year when we went on a 13 game win streak except Jack.

But we have several people that can do Jacks job and of course we have Oden and Joel. Early season most teams are quite ragged in their play and actually this team for the most part has played together.

12 and 12 it is and by January look out.

 

[THE HCP]

So I just looked at your first 24 games and man they are tough...IMO you guys will be 9-15...you will also start off 0-5...sorry, honest opinion

You aren't that far off. That is why I brought this up. Everybody on here needs to prepare for a rough start. Everything on here is all positive and not very realistic. I mean, we go SA/PHX back to back. Then a couple days later Utah/Houston back to back! That's crazy! Those teams all won 50+ games last year. I just want us to all be realistic.

 

[Tortimer]

So I just looked at your first 24 games and man they are tough...IMO you guys will be 9-15...you will also start off 0-5...sorry, honest opinion

I forgot one more thing. How can we be 0-5 to start the season when we are going to win that first game against the Lakers.

 

[DaRizzle]

You aren't that far off.

WTF are you talkin about...Im dead on beeyatch!!

 

[THE HCP]

There is a chance your are right but I think we will win some games we shouldn't. Especially the home opener against the Spurs. They will not have Manu yet and our home opener with Oden's first game should be special in the Rose Garden.

You know, I bet we do beat the Spurs! That crowd is going to go NUTZ when they introduce Greg! No Manu, @ home, ESPN. 30 days and counting!

 

[DaRizzle]

Yeah...I did count the SA as a loss but you guys might be right. You guys will have some serious mojo that night and they wont have Ginobili...it'll be close

BTW...I love seeing HCP's avatar and then mine right below it...good stuff

 

[Tortimer]

You know, I bet we do beat the Spurs! That crowd is going to go NUTZ when they introduce Greg! No Manu, @ home, ESPN. 30 days and counting!

I think we will beat the Spurs even though we haven't done good against them in a few years. I think the Spurs will really miss Manu and the Rose Garden is going to be something really special that night when they introduce Oden. I wish I could be there it is going to be a fun night IMO.

 

[DaRizzle]

lol...funny joke

 

[Tortimer]

lol...funny joke

I don't think you will be laughing and I doubt we will even see you on the Blazers forums for a while after we win.

 

[Magnum]

it's a tough schedule, but part of the growing process as a team is not assuming we'll lose to suns, spurs, etc. If we're going to be contenders, we want to look at every game as winnable, with some tougher than others. Some of us as fans have gotten into a "culture of losing" where we look at the schedule and assume we can only beat weak teams. I think we go 14-10.

 

[DaRizzle]

I don't think you will be laughing and I doubt we will even see you on the Blazers forums for a while after we win.

Ill be here the day after win or lose...I dont shy away...will you?

 

[Tortimer]

Ill be here the day after win or lose...I dont shy away...will you?

I will be here no matter if we win or lose. You can count on it.

 

[DaRizzle]

damn

 

[THE HCP]

I don't think you will be laughing and I doubt we will even see you on the Blazers forums for a while after we win.

Sorry man, but Rizzle is like a bad case of herpes! He will not go away no matter how hard we try.

 

[DaRizzle]

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

you will also start off 0-5...sorry, honest opinion

Nay, that is incorrect. The Blazers will start 1-0. They may fall to 1-4 in subsequent games but I'm fully planning on them starting 1-0.

Gramps...

 

[DaRizzle]

Nay, that is incorrect. The Blazers will start 1-0. They may fall to 1-4 in subsequent games but I'm fully planning on them starting 1-0.

Gramps...

Newsflash..the game is in LA, not POR

 

[maxiep]

Here is my prediction:

POR @ LAL - W
POR vs. SAS - W
POR @ PHX - W
POR @ UTA - L
POR vs. HOU - L
POR vs. MIN - W
POR @ ORL - L
POR @ MIA - W
POR @ NOH - L
POR @ MIN - W
POR @ GSW - L
POR vs. CHI - W
POR @ SAC - W
POR @ PHX - L
POR vs. SAC - W
POR vs. MIA - W
POR vs. NOH - W
POR @ DET - L
POR @ NYK - W
POR @ WAS - W
POR @ BOS - L
POR @ TOR - L
POR vs. ORL - W
POR @ UTA - L

So my rose-colored glasses have us at 14-10.

 

[THE HCP]

Nice find! You know that you are the first and only person to Google "Herpes Cookie Cake"!

 

[THE HCP]

Here is my prediction:

POR @ LAL - W
POR vs. SAS - W
POR @ PHX - W
POR @ UTA - L
POR vs. HOU - L
POR vs. MIN - W
POR @ ORL - W
POR @ MIA - W
POR @ NOH - L
POR @ MIN - W
POR @ GSW - L
POR vs. CHI - W
POR @ SAC - W
POR @ PHX - L
POR vs. SAC - W
POR vs. MIA - W
POR vs. NOH - W
POR @ DET - L
POR @ NYK - W
POR @ WAS - W
POR @ BOS - L
POR @ TOR - L
POR vs. ORL - W
POR @ UTA - L

So my rose-colored glasses have us at 15-9.

Where can I buy some of those glasses?

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

Newsflash..the game is in LA, not POR

I realize that. That will only make the victory so much sweeter!

Gramps...

 

[maxiep]

Where can I buy some of those glasses?

Oops! I meant to put us down for a loss at Orlando, not a win, so I have us at 14-10.

I think we beat the L*kers, because we match up with them well and Nate knows more about Kobe after coaching him in the Olympics.

I think we beat SAS without Manu.

TP is my all-time favorite Blazer, but the PHX team is going to have to adjust to him, and I think we'll be able to take advantage of that adjustment period.

 

[THE HCP]

Man, Greg goes up against: Bynum, Duncan,Shaq and Stat,Yao, Al Jefferson and Dwight Howard in his first 2 weeks in the league! Welcome to the league my man!

I put Duncan and Stat on the list, because I'm sure he will spend time guarding those guys.

 

[andalusian]

Newsflash..the game is in LA, not POR

Newsflash. It no longer matters...