Have we just been unlucky with our playoff opposition the last three years?

[blazerboy30]

Have we just had the unfortunate luck of getting matched up against a buzzsaw at the wrong time... when the playoffs started?

Or am I just a homer looking to make myself feel better?


Houston -- Went on to give the Lakers all they could handle in the series. This was WITHOUT Yao and against a Laker team that was very, very strong.

Phoenix -- Went on to the WCF, when probably very few people expected that.

Dallas -- 2-0 lead in the series against the two-time defending champs and consensus pick to win it again.

 

[HailBlazers]

Pretty Unlucky I'd say, especially with all the injuries we've had. However I am one to believe you create your own luck, Therefore I conclude we could of won any one of those series.

 

[blazerboy30]

Pretty Unlucky I'd say, especially with all the injuries we've had. However I am one to believe you create your own luck, Therefore I conclude we could of won any one of those series.

I think we had a chance to win any of the series, and was upset when we didn't. However, looking back and realizing that we ended up playing some really good teams that happened to playing amazing basketball at the time... I don't feel as bad about how we played.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

no. blazers have played horribly in the playoffs. What, do you just expect the other team to lay down and take it?

 

[Mediocre Man]

The latter.

 

[blazerboy30]

no. blazers have played horribly in the playoffs. What, do you just expect the other team to lay down and take it?

Do you think we would have beat the Spurs in the first round?

 

[blazerboy30]

The latter.

Considering your track record for accuracy, this makes me feel better. Thank you.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Do you think we would have beat the Spurs in the first round?

Playing the way we did in the playoffs? No.

 

[mook]

The Blazers consistently had bad seeds because of worse regular season records than the competition. So when they lose, the guys who beat them were always expected to do well in following rounds. They were better than us in the regular season, and they were better than us in the playoffs.

11 years, no second round. I don't see a lot to be consoled by there.

 

[blazerboy30]

Playing the way we did in the playoffs? No.

That was kind of the point of the thread. You are obviously of the opinion that we played terribly. This thread is asking if it maybe is more that we just played teams on a hot streak instead of our team playing terribly.

 

[ppilot]

Have we just had the unfortunate luck of getting matched up against a buzzsaw at the wrong time... when the playoffs started?

Or am I just a homer looking to make myself feel better?


Houston -- Went on to give the Lakers all they could handle in the series. This was WITHOUT Yao and against a Laker team that was very, very strong.

Phoenix -- Went on to the WCF, when probably very few people expected that.

Dallas -- 2-0 lead in the series against the two-time defending champs and consensus pick to win it again.

The only unlucky pairing we have had is the Houston one.

Against PHX we would have had a hard time against almost anyone sans Brandon Roy, especially with our inconsistency from the bench (weird how that carried over)

Dallas - Again the Blazers would have had a really hard time against any team due to no bench, poor outside shooting, lack of backup PG, and lack of frontcourt depth.

 

[blazerboy30]

The only unlucky pairing we have had is the Houston one.

Against PHX we would have had a hard time against almost anyone sans Brandon Roy, especially with our inconsistency from the bench (weird how that carried over)

Did you expect PHX to get to the WCF last year? I sure didn't.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Considering your track record for accuracy, this makes me feel better. Thank you.

Ignorance is bliss, keep those rose Garden colored glasses on.

There were a lot of "experts" that predicted an upset in the first round with us this year, but if you want to say Dallas is a buzzsaw, go right ahead.


You are a homer, and I respect that. Hopefully you can respect my opinion that Nate is a shitty playoff coach and we got beat 3 years in a row by teams we had a good shot at beating. Dallas and Phoenix were both favorable matchups, and we had HCA against the Rockets.

 

[ppilot]

Did you expect PHX to get to the WCF last year? I sure didn't.

No but they were the better team in our series as would have been every other higher seed. There is nothing unlucky about how we've lost the last couple years, as the team has been missing significant pieces which left us with an incomplete team.

 

[blazerboy30]

Ignorance is bliss, keep those rose Garden colored glasses on.

Trade coming soon?

LMA was "very average last season"?

Yeah, clearly your sight is much better without the rose colored glasses.

 

[blazerboy30]

No but they were the better team in our series as would have been every other higher seed. There is nothing unlucky about how we've lost the last couple years, as the team has been missing significant pieces which left us with an incomplete team.

It is interesting though... and hindsight is 20/20. But it appears we might have been able to beat the Lakers, judging by how they are playing against Dallas. Looks like we might have been able to beat the Spurs too.

 

[illmatic99]

Against Houston, maybe.

Against PHX, we could have won had Roy been healthy.

Against DAL, we just played horribly. I don't really buy the idea that they're that good. LA just sucks this year.

 

[ppilot]

It is interesting though... and hindsight is 20/20. But it appears we might have been able to beat the Lakers, judging by how they are playing against Dallas. Looks like we might have been able to beat the Spurs too.

It's all about matchups.....and the Lakers are having the same exact problem we did with defending the Dirk pick and roll. Also Dallas has two Legit centers with Haywood and Chandler which allows them to nullify the Lakers size advantage....we don't have that. Memphis was a particularly bad match up for the Spurs as the Griz have some of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and forced SA to shoot a really low percentage from outside. Portland has one of the worst perimeter defenses in the league and so SA would have had much greater success which then opens up the lanes for Parker, Manu, and Hill to slash to the hoop.

Bottom line though, we had no chance of winning a series with no bench production.

 

[jwhoops11]

Against DAL, we just played horribly. I don't really buy the idea that they're that good. LA just sucks this year.

Actually an interesting point of view. At first glance I kind of felt the same way. Season ticket holder, saw all 3 home games in person and felt the Blazers played like crap. Reality is though I think, after watching this Dallas v. LA series, Dallas is just playing really really good team basketball right now. The Mavs ball movement is so crisp, so fast, and if the pick and roll isn't their Dirk is swinging the ball quickly to the shooter, who in turn if not open is finding Marion on the baseline for a chippy. I'm of the belief the Blazers perimeter defense has been horrible for years, and thought the Dallas ball movement was the bi-product of that. That being said, the Lakers have been even worse than we were and I think ultimately they get swept. Honestly, I think our series said far more about how good Dallas is, and less about how we underachieved, than I originally thought!

 

[magnifier661]

Call it bad luck. Reading one of the posters about our rookies coming in injuried their first year, the injuries to our star players, odd regular season schedules and somehow everyteam we play, just plays out of their mind. I think Allen must have fucked someone terribly. Our karma has been some of the worst I've seen.

 

[blazerboy30]

Actually an interesting point of view. At first glance I kind of felt the same way. Season ticket holder, saw all 3 home games in person and felt the Blazers played like crap. Reality is though I think, after watching this Dallas v. LA series, Dallas is just playing really really good team basketball right now. The Mavs ball movement is so crisp, so fast, and if the pick and roll isn't their Dirk is swinging the ball quickly to the shooter, who in turn if not open is finding Marion on the baseline for a chippy. I'm of the belief the Blazers perimeter defense has been horrible for years, and thought the Dallas ball movement was the bi-product of that. That being said, the Lakers have been even worse than we were and I think ultimately they get swept. Honestly, I think our series said far more about how good Dallas is, and less about how we underachieved, than I originally thought!

Nice post. I feel the same way.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Trade coming soon?

LMA was "very average last season"?

Yeah, clearly your sight is much better without the rose colored glasses.

Wow, a "Trade Coming Soon" reference. It was misfortunate that the deal fell through, but it's not like I was just pulling that out of my ass. The only reason so many people remember that is because all of you guys kept guessing and pulling your own shit out of your asses.

As for LA being average, except for the month or so....actually about 2 months, that he was an absolute beast, his averages closely resembled his career averages. During the period between mid Dec. and mid Feb, when Brandon was out, Aldridge averaged a huge 26.25 PPG, 9.7 RPG. The rest of the year, he averaged 19.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG. His averages the year before were 17.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG. So while a bit better than last year, still about average. He finished 15th in the league in scoring, but without the time that Roy was away, he would have been in the mid 20's in scoring. Somewhere around Beasley and Gay. Rebounds drop him from 14th to the mid 20's as well. Somewhere around Chuck Hayes. So while still a very productive player, pretty average for him. Why is it you can't understand that? Some people were bithing about Blake Griffin getting a vote ahead of him, but Griffin scored and rebounded more than Aldridge did. Aldridge had a great couple of months, period. The rest of the time, he was a good NBA player.....just like he always is (or average for him)

 

[blazerboy30]

As for LA being average, except for the month or so....actually about 2 months, that he was an absolute beast, his averages closely resembled his career averages. During the period between mid Dec. and mid Feb, when Brandon was out, Aldridge averaged a huge 26.25 PPG, 9.7 RPG. The rest of the year, he averaged 19.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG. His averages the year before were 17.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG. So while a bit better than last year, still about average. He finished 15th in the league in scoring, but without the time that Roy was away, he would have been in the mid 20's in scoring. Somewhere around Beasley and Gay. Rebounds drop him from 14th to the mid 20's as well. Somewhere around Chuck Hayes. So while still a very productive player, pretty average for him. Why is it you can't understand that? Some people were bithing about Blake Griffin getting a vote ahead of him, but Griffin scored and rebounded more than Aldridge did. Aldridge had a great couple of months, period. The rest of the time, he was a good NBA player.....just like he always is (or average for him)

Apparently it is too difficult for you to understand that MVP voting isn't based on whether a particular player was above their career averages or not. This isn't the MIP award. So saying that LMA was only slightly above his "average" is stupidly irrelevant.

No, I don't think LMA should be anywhere near getting the MVP. But your reasoning that he was "average" is just stupid for 2 reasons: 1) He was nowhere near an average NBA player. He was much better. 2) Improvement over average has nothing to do with winning the MVP.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Apparently it is too difficult for you to understand that MVP voting isn't based on whether a particular player was above their career averages or not. This isn't the MIP award. So saying that LMA was only slightly above his "average" is stupidly irrelevant.

No, I don't think LMA should be anywhere near getting the MVP. But your reasoning that he was "average" is just stupid for 2 reasons: 1) He was nowhere near an average NBA player. He was much better. 2) Improvement over average has nothing to do with winning the MVP.

Ok, fair enough. I have a hard time understanding that LA was pretty much his average self for most of the year, and you have a hard time understanding that our team and coaching staff just isn't that good when it comes to playoff time. Every year there will be an excuse.

 

[Minstrel]

I think Houston was unlucky in being a bad match-up, definitely. I don't think Dallas was a bad match-up, on paper, but Portland may have caught them playing their very best ball of the season (as they're showing against LA).

Phoenix, the misfortune was losing Roy. While it was surprising they made the WCF, they didn't appear clearly better than Portland, IMO, nor did they seem to be a terrible match-up on paper. Portland was just without their best player.

 

[blazerboy30]

Ok, fair enough. I have a hard time understanding that LA was pretty much his average self for most of the year, and you have a hard time understanding that our team and coaching staff just isn't that good when it comes to playoff time. Every year there will be an excuse.

Where did I say anything about our coaching staff being a strength? Please post a link, or you're just spouting gibberish.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Where did I say anything about our coaching staff being a strength? Please post a link, or you're just spouting gibberish.

You didn't say that. You asked if our playoff problems had to do with facing the wrong team at the wrong time. I said no, you are a homer. You made some smart ass comment. I made one back. You made another one...etc. If you think it's about the wrong team at the wrong time, you are wrong. Our players and coaching staff aren't good enough to beat these teams in a 7 game series.

 

[blazerboy30]

You didn't say that. You asked if our playoff problems had to do with facing the wrong team at the wrong time. I said no, you are a homer. You made some smart ass comment. I made one back. You made another one...etc. If you think it's about the wrong team at the wrong time, you are wrong. Our players and coaching staff aren't good enough to beat these teams in a 7 game series.

Do you think we could have beat any of the seeds above us in a 7 game series the past 3 years?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Do you think we could have beat any of the seeds above us in a 7 game series the past 3 years?

Off the top of my head I say no, but I will look at it when I get a chance later tonight and let you know for sure.

 

[Draco]

I think Houston is the only series we had an unlucky bad break matchup.

Last year we had no chance against anybody, we were very lucky to win 2 games. Our entire offense was centered on Roy and he got injured right before the playoffs. We would have lost to any of the other 7 playoff teams.

This year sure Dallas is beating the Lakers, but the Lakers are a shell of their former selves. Kobe is physically limited causing him to settle for all jump shots. He is not taking the ball inside to the hole which collapses the defense. Instead Kidd is able to guard Bryant allowing Dallas to have a good help defender cover all the Lakers. Pau is exhausted from 3 consecutive finals runs. Dallas isn’t better than a quality Lakers team, they are better then a struggling hurt old Lakers team.

Many of the teams in the west are neck and neck, Dallas, LA, OKC. Any of them could get hot and win multiple playoff series. The Blazers have just been slightly worse then the top teams in the west, but over a 7 game series the slightly worse team is going to almost always lose.

Now the Houston series was a bad break. Houston was one loss away from being a 2 seed but dropped to a 5 seed. That was one of the best 5 seeds ever. In other years if we had HCA we would have been strong favorites. Ultimately Yao played so many minutes in our series and the start of the Lakers series it ended his career.