Portland's chances of a championship?

[Nikolokolus]

I thought they were getting slim with all of the injuries, but fuggedaboutit. Might as well start stockpiling talent for another try at this thing in 7 years or so.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

100%. GO BLAZERS

 

[Mediocre Man]

Same as it was last week.

 

[craigehlo]

Wade and LeBron will probably shoot 50 free throws per game in the playoffs the way the NBA treats them.

NBA! I love this game!

 

[Ed O]

If Portland is good enough to make it to the Finals, it's going to be because Oden is healthy and REALLY good... and if we make it to the Finals then we'll have a good chance to beat anyone.

Ed O.

 

[hasoos]

0%

That was an easy one. I'll take NBA BullFuckingShit for $200, Alex.

 

[julius]

The teams "championship window" depends on Oden's health far more than anyone else on the team (even Brandon, though his health is vital too). What other teams do doesn't matter.

that's not to say that if we have a healthy Greg we're guaranteed a title, but he's the L.A. Lakers Shaq, or the Spurs Tim Duncan, to our title hopes (in terms of importance).

 

[Nikolokolus]

If Portland is good enough to make it to the Finals, it's going to be because Oden is healthy and REALLY good... and if we make it to the Finals then we'll have a good chance to beat anyone.

Ed O.

OK ... If I squint really hard I can almost see it (I mean REAAAAALLLY hard)

 

[Erroneous Subterfuge]

ya'll are crazy. I'm gonna withhold judgment until I see the rest of Miami's roster and see them play together for awhile. I'm not going to anoint them a dynasty just yet...

 

[EGame]

It still depends on Oden's health, but even then I am not holding my breath. That kid's knees are ready to shatter as if they were glass. This league is fucked.

 

[Nikolokolus]

ya'll are crazy. I'm gonna withhold judgment until I see the rest of Miami's roster and see them play together for awhile. I'm not going to anoint them a dynasty just yet...

They're still going to have Chalmers and Beasley (who will be great complimentary talents), they'll have some somewhat promising prospects in D'Sean Butler (when he gets healthy) and a big fat body in Dexter Pittman ... add a bunch of veteran's minimum guys to that roster and they'll be just fine (off hand I'd guess AI joins to chase a ring).

 

[XXPrimusXX]

We got this.

 

[BrianFromWA]

No one has been able to tell me who guards big men for MIA.

 

[B-Roy]

We're not in the east. I honestly don't think it's changed that much. (It wasn't that high in the first place)

 

[hasoos]

A lot of folks seem to have forgotten Udonis Haslem is a free agent and they can go over the cap to sign him as well.

 

[craigehlo]

It's an arms race now. If we want any shot, it's CP3 time.

 

[BrianFromWA]

uh, how? They have to renounce all their FA's in order to sign LBJ/Bosh

 

[crowTrobot]

A lot of folks seem to have forgotten Udonis Haslem is a free agent and they can go over the cap to sign him as well.

no bird rights because they had to renounce him to get rid of his cap hold

 

[hasoos]

uh, how? They have to renounce all their FA's in order to sign LBJ/Bosh

I don't think they renounced Haslem. I saw an interview with him the other day and he said he plans on playing in Miami or nothing. But maybe he was coming off a high and doing a couple of teen age girls in one of the motels down there.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

CP3
Roy
(a healthy) Oden
LMA

One can only hope!

 

[Erroneous Subterfuge]

It's an arms race now. If we want any shot, it's CP3 time.

CP3 will never come here, he's going to end up in Miami with those three. He just fired his longtime agency and is joining LRMR, owned by Lebron James. This has been the supposed plan for those four since they played on the national team together in '08.

 

[KingSpeed]

I think we have a great chance, Nik. Amare and Boozer left their teams so the West just got easier. We have the size to compete with the Lakers in the WCF. And in the Finals? Like Ed O said, if we get there, we have a chance. No one on the Heat can guard a healthy Oden.

Don't overreact to this news, Nik. We'll be okay. They haven't proven anything yet and we have a very good team with a potential ti be great.

 

[The Other Guys]

I am still not convinced that three star players can carry the team all the way. Of course they are going to be a good team, but I'm not ready to say that the Heat will dominate the NBA for years to come. On a positive note, the West has gotten easier for the Blazers. Suns without Amare, Jazz without Boozer, and the Spurs aren't getting any younger. I will agree with everyone else when they say that Oden will be the main part of us competing for any title, though.

 

[julius]

CP3
Roy
(a healthy) Oden
LMA

One can only hope!

that might be our best chance, esp if we can keep Batum somehow.

 

[KingSpeed]

By the way, I know they were older, but how many titles did the Kobe/Shaq/Mailman/Glove combo win?

 

[hasoos]

I am still not convinced that three star players can carry the team all the way. Of course they are going to be a good team, but I'm not ready to say that the Heat will dominate the NBA for years to come. On a positive note, the West has gotten easier for the Blazers. Suns without Amare, Jazz without Boozer, and the Spurs aren't getting any younger. I will agree with everyone else when they say that Oden will be the main part of us competing for any title, though.

A lot of poople said the same thing when Boston traded for KG and Ray Allen. Top it off with the fact that those guys were nearing the end of their career's as opposed to being in their prime, and I think the writing is on the wall. The only way you can match up with a team like that is to maybe have 2 stars (like serious high level stars) and a deep bench to take advantage of their lack depth.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

We're not in the east. I honestly don't think it's changed that much. (It wasn't that high in the first place)

Right.

 

[KingSpeed]

I am still not convinced that three star players can carry the team all the way. Of course they are going to be a good team, but I'm not ready to say that the Heat will dominate the NBA for years to come. On a positive note, the West has gotten easier for the Blazers. Suns without Amare, Jazz without Boozer, and the Spurs aren't getting any younger. I will agree with everyone else when they say that Oden will be the main part of us competing for any title, though.

Another thing to celebrate: none of these guys went to OKC who had quite a bit of cap space.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Interesting question is which tired old saps take the minimum to try to ride coattails to a title?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Another thing to celebrate: none of these guys went to OKC who had quite a bit of cap space.

OKC is expert at milking their space. They're saving it to get Deron Williams next year.