Matthews says we are a playoff team

[KeepOnRollin]

‎"We're a playoff team. We're resilient. And we play hard." - Wesley Matthews from today's practice.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/tbtv/video.html?videoID=4904

Now I not saying we can't be but we currently aren't. Can't fault the players for having that mentality I just hope the effort, resilience and playing hardness (yes I know not a word) doesn't turn if we don't make the playoffs.

 

[Nikolokolus]

The starters with a half-way decent bench would certainly be a playoff team ... without a better defensive anchor they wouldn't be a very good one, but they'd be a lock for the 8-6th seed.

However, while I appreciate Matthews attitude and he should probably think that way, this team is going to have a helluva time sneaking in with that stillborn group of crap warming the seats.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

The starters with a half-way decent bench would certainly be a playoff team ... without a better defensive anchor they wouldn't be a very good one, but they'd be a lock for the 8-6th seed.

However, while I appreciate Matthews attitude and he should probably think that way, this team is going to have a helluva time sneaking in with that stillborn group of crap warming the seats.

I am ok with playoffs and I am ok with keeping our pick, however the worst place to be would be either 13th or 14th and we lose out on both!

Personally if I had the choice I would keep our draft pick this year. But I also want the team to believe they can make the playoffs. Tough choice. Just don't screw both up.

 

[Masbee]

I am ready for the tanking. I don't want this team to go balls out for the friggin 8th spot. It doesn't interest me.

And, I would rather have a 1st round pick this year, than next year. So we need to drop down a few spots in the standings.

If there was only some way we could tank, without obviously doing it.

Certainly we can start by stopping the insane minutes for the starters. Don't play any of them more than 36 minutes.

And, I thought we were supposed to be evaluating all these guys we brought in. Let's play Meyers, Claver, Babbit, Freeland, and Barton more minutes.

That should do the trick (of pushing us down the standings). As well as giving management a quality extended look at those pieces.

 

[mook]

As it is, he's probably wrong. But if Leonard's recent slight uptick in productivity is a building trend, then maybe there's real hope. If he becomes legit, it solidifies both our bench and interior defense, the team's two biggest weaknesses.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I would hope he thought that, and he might be right. I think as the schedule gets harder though, and depending on if they deal at the deadline, I think will will miss the playoffs and fall to 11th in our conference with both LAL and Dal catching us.

End up with pick #10

 

[Nikolokolus]

I would hope he thought that, and he might be right. I think as the schedule gets harder though, and depending on if they deal at the deadline, I think will will miss the playoffs and fall to 11th in our conference with both LAL and Dal catching us.

End up with pick #10

Seems pretty likely. Overall still a better showing this year than I thought we'd see at the start of the year.

 

[magnifier661]

We are a playoff team!

 

[KeepOnRollin]

We are a playoff team!

We will be or we were could be more accurate. We aren't a playoff team currently. But either is anyone else I guess if you want to get real technical.

 

[blue9]

I like Wes' optimism and mindset. But he's wrong.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Fuckin'. A. Right.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Not so bold Prediction:
In 20 or so games one of our starters will get injured for enough games to move us out of the playoff hunt. Olshey may even shut them down for the season and the coach will be forced to play more NOOBs and that will get us a draft pick.

 

[HailBlazers]

I am ready for the tanking. I don't want this team to go balls out for the friggin 8th spot. It doesn't interest me.

IMO we could compete with or possibly beat SA, MEM or LA in a series. Not sure how well an OKC series would go. Worth watching though.

 

[KingSpeed]

IMO we could compete with or possibly beat SA, MEM or LA in a series. Not sure how well an OKC series would go. Worth watching though.

This.

By the way, I heard another radio host last night saying "Houston, Utah, and Portland want no part of the playoffs." Maybe he knows something or maybe it's just wishful thinking from a Lakers fan.

 

[Nikolokolus]

IMO we could compete with or possibly beat SA, MEM or LA in a series. Not sure how well an OKC series would go. Worth watching though.

The Blazers are good enough to steal a game or two from one of those teams during the regular season, but the playoffs are an entirely different beast that requires the ability to generate stops and this team is in the bottom 1/4 of the league in that category.

 

[magnifier661]

The Blazers are good enough to steal a game or two from one of those teams during the regular season, but the playoffs are an entirely different beast that requires the ability to generate stops and this team is in the bottom 1/4 of the league in that category.

But isnt the playoffs such a tighter rotation? Like 8-9 players? With that said; we have a shot. I think we could take sas to seven and maybe

 

[Run BJM]

The Blazers are good enough to steal a game or two from one of those teams during the regular season, but the playoffs are an entirely different beast that requires the ability to generate stops and this team is in the bottom 1/4 of the league in that category.

This. They'd have absolutely no chance against any of those teams in a 7 game series.

 

[HailBlazers]

This. They'd have absolutely no chance against any of those teams in a 7 game series.

Yea the playoffs are all about the 6th, 7th, and 8th man to which the Blazers have none. That said, absolutely no chance is incorrect.

 

[Run BJM]

Yea the playoffs are all about the 6th, 7th, and 8th man to which the Blazers have none. That said, absolutely no chance is incorrect.

Its a bad defensive team that doesn't score with great efficiency and is middling on the glass. Your PF is soft as baby shit, complains about being forced to play defense like a guy his size should, and your C is a 6'9 sieve. You have no NBA level backup for either of them. Lillard and Batum are damn solid but are you really getting a matchup win at PG or SF against any of those teams? If so, it would be negligible relative to the other massive advantages those teams have in size, depth, and production on defense and on the glass.

 

[Sinobas]

I don't see how this team is any better under Stotts than McMillen. They are boring. No fast break points, hardly penetrate. Dribble around and go for an outside shot....

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't see how this team is any better under Stotts than McMillen. They are boring. No fast break points, hardly penetrate. Dribble around and go for an outside shot....

A lot less in the cupboard.

 

[Mediocre Man]

IMO we could compete with or possibly beat SA, MEM or LA in a series. Not sure how well an OKC series would go. Worth watching though.

I don't think Portland is built to win in the playoffs at all. Teams grind in the playoffs, and we have no inside presence

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I agree that playoffs is more of a half court grind type of game where defense rules. At the same time, playoffs are less about the bench and depth and more about the starting five.

I like Blazers starting five against most teams and look forward to the possible playoffs with this team. Blazers starting five are ready to grind it out in a playoff series.

Speaking of Matthews: thanks CF for the passes to meet Wes last night. Cool guy . . . (you and Wes)

 

[mook]

I agree that playoffs is more of a half court grind type of game where defense rules. At the same time, playoffs are less about the bench and depth and more about the starting five.

I like Blazers starting five against most teams and look forward to the possible playoffs with this team. Blazers starting five are ready to grind it out in a playoff series.

Speaking of Matthews: thanks CF for the passes to meet Wes last night. Cool guy . . . (you and Wes)

Agreed. There are other factors as well.

• Portland is a volume three point shooting team. If it gets hot from 3 for just 4 games in a series, it's probably going to win the series. It'll at the very least be competitive in any game where it shoots 40% from outside.

• This team handles pressure better than any .500 team I've ever seen. If Lillard can drop 20 and 10 in his rookie night going up against the Lakers in the raucous Rose Garden, you think he's going to suddenly wilt under pressure in the playoffs? I don't.

• The likely top seeds seem vulnerable. The Clippers have had injury problems this year with Paul and Crawford will fail them (I don't care what anybody says). The Spurs are phenomenal right now, but they are so old and an injury waiting to happen. The Thunder scare me, but maybe we luck out and get somebody else.

I don't think the odds are great that Portland gets out of the first round, but there's at least a chance.

 

[illmatic99]

That 6 game losing streak really hurt us.

Who are we going to bump out? Even if we get a spot from a team above us now, the league will ensure that LA gets in. It's just too big of a loss for them financially if POR replaces LAL at the 8th spot.

 

[Nikolokolus]

That 6 game losing streak really hurt us.

Who are we going to bump out? Even if we get a spot from a team above us now, the league will ensure that LA gets in. It's just too big of a loss for them financially if POR replaces LAL at the 8th spot.

I don't think there's any conspiracy. If the Lakers get in I think it will sort of validate the long-run predictive power of points differential ... and let's face it, despite LA's issues they have a lot more talent overall than this Blazer's squad. I guess we'll see how it plays out.

 

[magnifier661]

That 6 game losing streak really hurt us.

Who are we going to bump out? Even if we get a spot from a team above us now, the league will ensure that LA gets in. It's just too big of a loss for them financially if POR replaces LAL at the 8th spot.

Lakers have 7 games on the road starting now. Lets see how they do on that road trip (which they've been on a 6 game road losing streak already). If they can't win on the road, they have no shot at making the playoffs.

 

[e_blazer]

I don't think there's any conspiracy. If the Lakers get in I think it will sort of validate the long-run predictive power of points differential ... and let's face it, despite LA's issues they have a lot more talent overall than this Blazer's squad. I guess we'll see how it plays out.

Neither the Lakers or the Blazers have a bench that's very productive. The Lakers certainly have the edge in terms of career "talent", but that has to adjusted for age and wear and tear. The Blazers have young talent and they also have something the Lakers haven't been able to develop so far - pieces that mesh. Maybe the Lakers will eventually put it all together, but I'm not sure that D'Antoni is the guy that gets them there.

 

[Nate Dogg]

Lets see what Matthews thinks about his statement now.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Lets see what Matthews thinks about his statement now.

Did Wesley Matthews offend you in some way last night?