Making the Playoffs

[BlazerCaravan]

I want the Warriors in the first round but that's not gonna happen. We'll probably have 5 or 6 seed so it's Clippers or Warriors. We can beat them. Only team I think we can't beat is San Antonio.

(Clippers or Thunder)

Yeah I don't want any part of San Antonio in the first round.

If we beat the Thunder to get the Spurs, or beat the Clippers to get the Warriors, I would cry. Almost too much to imagine.

 

[BBert]

(Clippers or Thunder)

Yeah I don't want any part of San Antonio in the first round.

If we beat the Thunder to get the Spurs, or beat the Clippers to get the Warriors, I would cry. Almost too much to imagine.

It's going to happen. That's our trajectory.

 

[KingSpeed]

It's going to happen. That's our trajectory.

Yep

 

[BlazerCaravan]

It's going to happen. That's our trajectory.

If we got the Warriors in the second round, I could see the league letting us win to give us the LA/Dame showdown narrative in the WCF.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

current 538.com predictions: we play OKC.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

current 538.com predictions: we play OKC.

It's up to Memphis to suck enough for us to get the Clippy Show. But Z-Bo is having himself an amazing Old Man season.

 

[theprunetang]

It's up to Memphis to suck enough for us to get the Clippy Show. But Z-Bo is having himself an amazing Old Man season.

His game is definitely the kind that can age well.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

His game is definitely the kind that can age well.

"Slim! Show 'em that two-inch vertical!"

 

[theprunetang]

"Slim! Show 'em that two-inch vertical!"

With his foot work, who needs to jump? Reminds me of Sabonis' last couple of years. Couldn't jump over a ruler on its side. Maybe Zach could be on Dancing With the Stars after his playing career.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

6 seed would be against OKC which isn't really a great match up for anyone considering how great those 2 guys are. I just don't like much about the Thunder beyond those 2 though, we're talking about Dion Waiters..Enes Kanter, not exactly the scariest guys in the world. Serge Ibaka is a nice player but I'd love to see Ed Davis matched up on him. That would be a fun series.

I think the gameplan would be like Westbrook take all the shots lol

 

[Nate]

I'm thinking Memphis is gonna drop a spot.

• The Grizzlies are the only team that doesn’t have any more games against opponents that are playing the second night of a back-to-back. Every other team has at least two of those games remaining. Memphis has three more soft games this week, but their schedule gets much, much tougher starting next Monday. Seventeen of their final 20 games are against teams over .500 or on the road.

This is from an nba.com article.

This http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2016/...akdown/?ls=iref:nba:specials:homepage:feature

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I think the gameplan would be like Westbrook take all the shots lol

Game plan: start Dame on Westbrook, then bring in Henderson to cover him, then sit back while he trips over himself to score all the points.

 

[Draco]

Durant is unstoppable. Rouq would have his hands full. We need to do something to disrespect Westbrook so he takes it personally; than give him uncontested midrange jumpers and tell him he can't make any. He'll put up 30+ shots a night then.

Would prefer to face them as the 5th seed

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Durant is unstoppable. Rouq would have his hands full. We need to do something to disrespect Westbrook so he takes it personally; than give him uncontested midrange jumpers and tell him he can't make any. He'll put up 30+ shots a night then.

Would prefer to face them as the 5th seed

Me too, but I don't think OKC will fall to 5th

 

[Natebishop3]

There is one primary reason why I want to face the Spurs (and it's not Aldridge).

They don't shoot free throws.

I am terrified of getting jobbed by the refs in the first round. Superstars like Durant, Westbrook, CP3, Griffin..... they get a lot of fouls shots. Here are the current rankings in FTA per game:

LA Clippers #3 - 26.8 FTA per game
OKC Thunder #8 - 25.1 FTA per game
Golden State #18 - 22.8 FTA per game
SA Spurs #28 - 20.1 FTA per game

The Spurs are the third worst team in the league at drawing fouls. They don't have a guy like Harden or Paul or Westbrook, who can get in the lane, draw contact, and get to the line.

 

[Natebishop3]

Kawhi Leonard is tied for 34th in the league in FTA per game.

Aldridge is 49th.

Parker is tied for 110th.

Those are their top 3 guys in FTA.

 

[Draco]

Me too, but I don't think OKC will fall to 5th

Yeah I think OKC stays at 3rd and we get 5th

 

[B-Roy]

There is one primary reason why I want to face the Spurs (and it's not Aldridge).

They don't shoot free throws.

I am terrified of getting jobbed by the refs in the first round. Superstars like Durant, Westbrook, CP3, Griffin..... they get a lot of fouls shots. Here are the current rankings in FTA per game:

LA Clippers #3 - 26.8 FTA per game
OKC Thunder #8 - 25.1 FTA per game
Golden State #18 - 22.8 FTA per game
SA Spurs #28 - 20.1 FTA per game

The Spurs are the third worst team in the league at drawing fouls. They don't have a guy like Harden or Paul or Westbrook, who can get in the lane, draw contact, and get to the line.

Except on the other end, they don't foul at all.

 

[Draco]

Except on the other end, they don't foul at all.

That would be interesting; look at the FTA attempts a team takes compared to how many they allow.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

There is one primary reason why I want to face the Spurs (and it's not Aldridge).

They don't shoot free throws.

I am terrified of getting jobbed by the refs in the first round. Superstars like Durant, Westbrook, CP3, Griffin..... they get a lot of fouls shots. Here are the current rankings in FTA per game:

LA Clippers #3 - 26.8 FTA per game
OKC Thunder #8 - 25.1 FTA per game
Golden State #18 - 22.8 FTA per game
SA Spurs #28 - 20.1 FTA per game

The Spurs are the third worst team in the league at drawing fouls. They don't have a guy like Harden or Paul or Westbrook, who can get in the lane, draw contact, and get to the line.

The flip side to this is they are efficient. Remember our series against them? They murdered us with TP getting open shots via screens and practically never missing threes (although that was a historic run for that team).

 

[BlazerWookee]

It's going to happen. That's our trajectory.

MANIFEST DESTINY!

 

[42N8Bounce]

Blazers currently sitting in the 7th seed. Spurs in the 2nd seed.

 

[Rhal]

I get why people want us to miss the playoffs but giving up the pick isn't exactly losing an asset because suddenly we have a 1st to trade and that seems to be a big bargaining unit in todays NBA. Also regardless of who we draw it looks like it will be a fun series to watch even if we don't have a great chance of winning. GSW we lose in 4 or 5 but we would get to watch Lillard drop 40 every game, SA we would probably lose in 5 or 6 but upsetting LMA or cause him to sweat out a tough first round would be ever so sweet. OKC, there is no team I wish would never advance past the first round, except the lakers, more then the Thunder. The Clippers I actually think we have a shot at upsetting them because of how they lost last year and all the lack of success CP3 has had in the post season. They seem like a team you can get into their heads and if we steal a game in LA and then win our first game at home you could bet that would get into their heads big time.

 

[kjironman1]

Glad you guys are so sure they will make the playoffs. this is only the 5th game of the 15 game crunch. they are 3-2 so far?
The shots are starting to come a little tougher. The schedule doesn't get any easier at all. the 3 home games they have are all one game turnarounds. Unless Stotts sits a couple guys at some point they will struggle to go 5-5 in the next 10. That would be really really good by the way.
Talk to me at the end of March when they end the season with a string of games at home.

 

[Denny Crane]

When was the last time a team had both a 7 game losing streak and a 6 game win streak in the same season? Seems like it would be uncommon.

76ers?

 

[Draco]

I haven't heard anyone lately say they want to miss the playoffs. We lose a 2016 pick in a weak draft but gain a 2017 pick in a deeper draft. Plus we get to watch a playoff series? I don't see the downside.

If we had a chance at a top5 pick sure we'd have considered playing the lottery; but that's not possible this year, or probably ever with Dame as he's an MVP level performer.

Honestly if there's a Blazer fan rooting for the team to lose today with the way this team has played the last month I question what the hell kind of delusional sick fan you are?

 

[Denny Crane]

FWIW, the Bulls apparently turned down a trade offer by the Celtics for Jimmy Butler involving 2 of Boston's 1st round picks (including the Nets' one).

 

[Strenuus]

I haven't heard anyone lately say they want to miss the playoffs. We lose a 2016 pick in a weak draft but gain a 2017 pick in a deeper draft. Plus we get to watch a playoff series? I don't see the downside.

If we had a chance at a top5 pick sure we'd have considered playing the lottery; but that's not possible this year, or probably ever with Dame as he's an MVP level performer.

Honestly if there's a Blazer fan rooting for the team to lose today with the way this team has played the last month I question what the hell kind of delusional sick fan you are?

Right?!

 

[Tunchi]

FWIW, the Bulls apparently turned down a trade offer by the Celtics for Jimmy Butler involving 2 of Boston's 1st round picks (including the Nets' one).

That would be a slap in the face to the Bulls lol


Stupid trade for Bulls

 

[Draco]

FWIW, the Bulls apparently turned down a trade offer by the Celtics for Jimmy Butler involving 2 of Boston's 1st round picks (including the Nets' one).

Of course Chicago turns that down, would be stupid to trade Butler for completely unknown picks.

Is this the trade Ainge hinted at in the media?

Ive heard a lot of rumblings that GMs are sick of Ainge and not gonna help him out.