Hollinger (always a blazer guy) says 7th seed but likes teams future

[Brock]

Hollinger: Blazers Are "Standard One-And-Done Playoff Outfit"
John Hollinger of ESPN.com ranks the Portland Trail Blazers as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.
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Up front, Aldridge should make his first All-Star team, but he won't have a ton of help. Marcus Camby was running on fumes last season, and Kurt Thomas and Craig Smith are the only other frontcourt bodies. I expect to see Portland play small with Wallace or Batum at the 4 quite a bit. Luke Babbitt, Portland's 2010 first-round pick, may also get some run, although he looked awful in his few chances a season ago.

In other words, you're looking at a standard one-and-done playoff outfit. Though they should win more than they lose, the Blazers can't match up for seven games against elite frontcourts or A-list perimeter stars. But keep an eye on this team going forward. They have Aldridge as a centerpiece and several good young perimeter players, along with $20 million in cap space after the season.

 

[blue32]

sounds about right, if we can even make the playoffs.... with the blazer medical track record, i highly doubt it.

 

[KingSpeed]

Hollinger: Blazers Are "Standard One-And-Done Playoff Outfit"
John Hollinger of ESPN.com ranks the Portland Trail Blazers as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.
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Up front, Aldridge should make his first All-Star team, but he won't have a ton of help. Marcus Camby was running on fumes last season, and Kurt Thomas and Craig Smith are the only other frontcourt bodies. .[/B]

Someone should introduce him to Chris Johnson.

 

[Minstrel]

"I'd trust Hollinger to do my taxes, but not to make weighted statistical projections about the coming NBA season."

I think that's how the line went.

 

[huevonkiller]

I don't know about the Nuggets and Spurs.....

That seems off to me in Hollinger's rankings.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Hollinger's ratings are way off because he didn't pick the Blazers to win the championship. Man, it feels good to fit in

 

[Brock]

what are his top 6 ahead of us? didnt see that part.

personally I think blazers (assuming health is half way decent) will be anywhere from 4-8

 

[Nikolokolus]

Hollinger's ratings are way off because he didn't pick the Blazers to win the championship. Man, it feels good to fit in

Hehe.

 

[Nikolokolus]

what are his top 6 ahead of us? didnt see that part.

from top to bottom:
OKC
Denver
SA
Clips
Lakers
Mavs

 

[THE HCP]

I said 6th after we signed the new 3, but I can't argue with 7th.

 

[KingSpeed]

from top to bottom:
OKC
Denver
SA
Clips
Lakers
Mavs

Well, that's definitely wrong.

 

[maxiep]

6-8 smells about right to me. I don't know about the rest of you, but I still have a hangover of disappointment from our injuries. The distance between where we should have been and where we are is immense.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Well, that's definitely wrong.

Ok, thanks for sharing.

 

[THE HCP]

How amazing would it be to have NO injuries to our key players this season?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

from top to bottom:
OKC
Denver
SA
Clips
Lakers
Mavs

Can someone explain how he has Denver second in the conference?

 

[huevonkiller]

The West does seem deeper to me.

Hopefully you all beat up on each other. ;]

 

[maxiep]

One thing we really haven't touched on is how much more important depth is going to be this year. The schedule is going to punishing and I think we're going to see more injuries and fatigue this season. Teams like the Spurs are probably going to shoot for a low seed just to keep their guys rested for the playoffs.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Can someone explain how he has Denver second in the conference?

They were lights out after they shipped Melo. Hollinger doesn't think their "ten+ points differential" after that trade was a fluke. Combine that with his observation that they go ten deep, the compressed schedule and the altitude are all going to factor into lots of regular season wins. He did say that he expects them to struggle come playoff time because that depth won't matter as much.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I said 6th after we signed the new 3, but I can't argue with 7th.

So you think 6th but can't argue with 7th . . . gald you didn't become a lawyer.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Can someone explain how he has Denver second in the conference?

Two words: Andre Miller!!!

BNM

 

[Natebishop3]

There's no way in hell that Denver finishes second. No. Way. In. Hell.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

They were lights out after they shipped Melo. Hollinger doesn't think their "ten+ points differential" was a fluke and he thinks the fact that they go ten deep, the compressed schedule and the altitude are all going to factor into lots of regular season wins. He did say that he expects them to struggle come playoff time because that depth won't matter as much.

Did he talk at all about how 3 players from last year's team is playing in China this year? What does that do with the 10+ point differential analysis?

 

[huevonkiller]

Hollinger is smart but projecting into the future is difficult.

He used to think the Jazz would win the West, back when the Lakers first traded for Gasol. I'm not sure about his rankings, but I do think the Blazers have an extremely solid team.

Basically Hollinger has you a couple of games behind the Lakers/Clippers.

 

[Brock]

Im stopped reading after denver was at 2nd

 

[jlprk]

Clippers shmippers. Everyone knows they will flop as usual.

"I'd trust Hollinger to do my taxes, but not to make weighted statistical projections about the coming NBA season."

I'm cheaper, but I wouldn't trust either of us.

 

[e_blazer]

Can someone explain how he has Denver second in the conference?

Yeah, I really don't get that one. Even in the best case if you consider Felton and Miller to be a wash, they lost K-Mart, Chandler & Smith and added Rudy, Brewer, Koufos and Ruffin. Seems like a downgrade to me. Plus, I really thought a lot of what they did last year after the trade was pretty impressive, but would be hard to duplicate in the long run.

 

[Ghost Pepper]

I think the Spurs are old, Mavs have lost big parts in JJ and Tyson their speed and Muscle, the Lakers may mail this one in if Kobe doesn't get Dwight... I see the Thunder, Nuggs, Lakers, Blazers, CLippers and Mavs the rest treading at best!

East is Miami, Chicago,Celtics...

okc and miami finals....

 

[Sedatedfork]

Two words: Andre Miller!!!

BNM

Two more words: RUDY FERNANDEZ!!!

 

[magnifier661]

Anyone that puts Denver at two cant be trusted.

 

[MickZagger]

Ok, thanks for sharing.

You agree with Denver in 2nd in the west? Or are you just being snipey?