L.A., Denver or Dallas?

[TradeNurkicNow]

Assuming we don't take the 5th (or 4th) spot, what team would you want us to face in the first round?

I voted for the Lakers. I don't think we're going to beat any three of these teams in a seven game series, so I'd rather us go all out on the rivalry. If we could push the Lakers to seven games, that would be an accomplishment at this point.

What say you?

 

[MAS RipCity]

My Take

 

[Natebishop3]

As long as we don't get raped by the officials (which is highly likely), I would like our chances against the Lakers for an upset.

 

[Minstrel]

Mavericks, definitely. I think the Lakers and Nuggets are the best two teams in the West this season.

 

[ehizzy3]

none of the above

dallas i guess....they dont have anyone that can stop andre miller!

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

My Take

I like it. However, there is no way the Blazers would beat Utah, much less in 6 games!

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

Lakers


We'd beat them in 6.

 

[KingSpeed]

My Take

MAS- Phil Jackson has lost a first round playoff series. Twice, in fact. In 2006 & 2007, his Lakers lost in the first round to the Phoenix Suns. In 2006, it was especially embarrassing since his team held a 3-1 lead before choking the series away. Remember Game 7 of that series where Kobe refused to shoot in the second half? Good times.

 

[LittleAlex]

The Lakers. Denver would sweep Portland. I will wait to see what I think of Denver when Portland plays the new look Mavs next week.

Right now the only thing (outside of an absurdly improbable title run) that could save this season for me would be upsetting the Lakers in the first round. I think Portland has a small chance to do so. I would love to see them try.


Also, Pendergraph may very well beat the holy shit out of Odom which is only a positive in my book.

 

[MAS RipCity]

MAS- Phil Jackson has lost a first round playoff series. Twice, in fact. In 2006 & 2007, his Lakers lost in the first round to the Phoenix Suns. In 2006, it was especially embarrassing since his team held a 3-1 lead before choking the series away. Remember Game 7 of that series where Kobe refused to shoot in the second half? Good times.

You're right. I was thinking of him not losing a first round series as the favorite or #1 seed...something like that.

 

[Masbee]

Assuming we don't take the 5th (or 4th) spot, what team would you want us to face in the first round?

I voted for the Lakers. I don't think we're going to beat any three of these teams in a seven game series, so I'd rather us go all out on the rivalry. If we could push the Lakers to seven games, that would be an accomplishment at this point.

What say you?

The Lakers have gobs of playoff experience, great coaching, a deep roster AND a super-deluxe starting 5, and length and size at most positions.

The only real weaknesses are: PG defense, which we can exploit a bit, but since we don't push enough, run enough or run the offense through our PG, we won't get much mileage out of that; and Kobe sometimes doing to much offensively, and that is a weakness that is hard to pull off having to bait Kobe into taking too many bad shots.

I don't want the Lakers.

Dallas is playing well. Dallas beat us this year. Until proven otherwise, I don't fear them in the playoffs. I think they are fragile and soft when it comes down to it. They probably win, but I think we have a shot at least.

Denver is the team I least wanted to play in the first round - until Kenyon Martin went down. That is a blow to them. He wansn't a featured player for them, but without him they are getting thin. Won't be full strength for the 1st round. Start a scrub like Petro which dilutes the starting 5 a bit, and still all you have for quality off the bench is JR and Birdman and maybe Lawson who is currently out with a bad shoulder. Our bench can match that. If we meet them with some momentum, we now have a fighting chance.

 

[Ed O]

Nuggets. With Martin hurt it really weakens them and I think we match up pretty well with them in the back court and wings.

Ed O.

 

[e_blazer]

^ What Ed said.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

The Lakers. Denver would sweep Portland. I will wait to see what I think of Denver when Portland plays the new look Mavs next week.

Right now the only thing (outside of an absurdly improbable title run) that could save this season for me would be upsetting the Lakers in the first round. I think Portland has a small chance to do so. I would love to see them try.


Also, Pendergraph may very well beat the holy shit out of Odom which is only a positive in my book.

...but would Nate play Pedergraph? Hmmmm

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

I think that our playoff chances rest on a suprise "rise-to-stardom" player:

Batum.



If Batum can continue along with what he's doing; If Nate can learn to "use Batum" properly; over these last 13 games - then look out NBA!

Batum could be the the player that sends us into the Second Round and beyond!


and one last matter: NO MORE INJURIES!

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

New prediction - we overtake San Antonio for the 7th spot... and Dallas overtakes Denver for the 2nd spot.

We meet Dallas in the first round and push them to 7 games before some kind of historic and heart breaking meltdown.

 

[Minstrel]

New prediction - we overtake San Antonio for the 7th spot... and Dallas overtakes Denver for the 2nd spot.

We meet Dallas in the first round and push them to 7 games before some kind of historic and heart breaking meltdown.

That would be awesome!

Wait a second...

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

New prediction - we overtake San Antonio for the 7th spot... and Dallas overtakes Denver for the 2nd spot.

We meet Dallas in the first round and push them to 7 games before some kind of historic and heart breaking meltdown.

Wouldnt that scenario be even better if we got up to the 6 seed, and they dropped to the third seed???

 

[ehizzy3]

i might be drawing a blank, but dallas has pretty weak defense on the perimeter...who would stop roy?

 

[Darkwebs]

i might be drawing a blank, but dallas has pretty weak defense on the perimeter...who would stop roy?

I think they would go with Marion as the primary defender and then Butler when Marion sits.

 

[Moo2K4]

i might be drawing a blank, but dallas has pretty weak defense on the perimeter...who would stop roy?

Caron Butler.

 

[STOMP]

Nuggets. With Martin hurt it really weakens them and I think we match up pretty well with them in the back court and wings.

exactly what I thought. They weren't all that deep to begin with so losing a 30+MPG Big drops them down a notch. Sort of shocked to see the board having them decidedly as the 3rd choice.

STOMP

 

[BenDavis503]

Lakers.

 

[BlazersBlood]

If this was last year, there's no way I pick Dallas. But we've done better against them this year. I think they would represent our best chance to make it out of the 1st.

Denver is exactly the kind of team we have a hard time beating. They are physical, scrappy, and constantly attack the rim.

The Lakers are too big for us to handle in a 7 game series.

 

[KingSpeed]

The Dallas team we beat isn't the Dallas team they have now. And the Blazers team that beat them isn't the Blazers team we have now. In otherwords, those two games mean nothing.