Spring fling or the real deal?

[Stevenson]

Our beloved Blazers have a mini-run like this every spring.

So, is this latest run a harbinger of a new, better Blazer team with Nurk healthy and Powell on board, or is it just their annual tease?

 

[TBpup]

Fool me once (twice) (thrice).....we have seen this before. Not sure they play defense well enough to make this any different. Giving up that many point to a bad Houston team without their best players and barely squeaking by a Lakers team without LeBron and Schroeder doesn't have me convinced this is anything other than the annual late season hot streak that we have seen so many times before.

Sadly, often followed by a sweep/gentleman's sweep.

 

[Natebishop3]

Really not a single win in that streak that you can hang your hat on. I'm not convinced.

 

[crandc]

We'll find out soon.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Fool me once (twice) (thrice).....we have seen this before. Not sure they play defense well enough to make this any different. Giving up that many point to a bad Houston team without their best players and barely squeaking by a Lakers team without LeBron and Schroeder doesn't have me convinced this is anything other than the annual late season hot streak that we have seen so many times before.

Sadly, often followed by a sweep/gentleman's sweep.

The Lakers without LeBron beat Denver and Phoenix. They desperately wanted to beat us and couldn’t. As for Houston, they dropped a ton of points on Milwaukee and Utah and they’re good defensive teams. Also we killed a Spurs team that then went on to destroy Milwaukee.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Really not a single win in that streak that you can hang your hat on. I'm not convinced.

You’ve gotta be kidding me. You picked us to lose almost every game. Then we win almost all of them and you’re not impressed? The Lakers needed that win. They destroyed Denver and Phoenix but couldn’t beat us. Don’t talk to me about injuries. The last several championships were won by beating injured teams. Can the Warriors, Raptors, and Lakers not hang their hats on the last 6 title runs?

 

[Strenuus]

The Lakers without LeBron beat Denver and Phoenix. They desperately wanted to beat us and couldn’t. As for Houston, they dropped a ton of points on Milwaukee and Utah and they’re good defensive teams. Also we killed a Spurs team that then went on to destroy Milwaukee.

Tell us more small sample sizes please!

 

[Strenuus]

You’ve gotta be kidding me. You picked us to lose almost every game. Then we win almost all of them and you’re not impressed? The Lakers needed that win. They destroyed Denver and Phoenix but couldn’t beat us. Don’t talk to me about injuries. The last several championships were won by beating injured teams. Can the Warriors, Raptors, and Lakers not hang their hats on the last 6 title runs?

I mean, you literally have said the Warriors shouldn't count one of their championships because of injuries, so...

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Tell us more small sample sizes please!

You have to look at how teams are playing recently to judge how they looked against us.

 

[Strenuus]

You have to look at how teams are playing recently to judge how they looked against us.

More small sample sizes! We must never look at the normal distribution! Never!!!!

 

[KSF-ERIC]

I mean, you literally have said the Warriors shouldn't count one of their championships because of injuries, so...

That’s my point. You can’t discount Blazers wins against injured teams unless you’re gonna discount 5 of the last 6 titles.

2015: No Conley, Kyrie, or Kevin
2017: No Kawhi
2018: No CP3
2019: No KD
2020: No Dragic or Bam

 

[KSF-ERIC]

More small sample sizes! We must never look at the normal distribution! Never!!!!

Why should we look at Houston’s entire season to judge how they’re playing now? They’re a different team. Houston has putting up big points on everyone lately. Not just us.

 

[wizenheimer]

Why should we look at Houston’s entire season to judge how they’re playing now? They’re a different team. Houston has putting up big points on everyone lately. Not just us.

wut?

Houston is 1-9 over their last 10 games; 3-21 over their last 24 games; and 5-42 over their last 47

here is their current injury report:

 

[Scalma]

Maybe, maybe not. Nurk is rounding into form and the team is playing through him. When those two happen, it’s a different team. Powell is also getting more and more comfortable in his role.

My issue is that second unit, or more specifically whenever Nurk is off the court. We just can’t stop anyone from scoring. That problem is not gonna just go away. We just gave up 130 to a bunch of g league caliber players.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

wut?

Houston is 1-9 over their last 10 games; 3-21 over their last 24 games; and 5-42 over their last 47

here is their current injury report:

View attachment 38493

That’s not the point. Yes they are losing just like they lost to us but they’ve been scoring a lot which has nothing to do with their record. Obviously their defense sucks but I never said they were a good team. Not sure why you’re citing their record. This is what happens when someone jumps into a conversation without reading the preceding posts. It’s like when I talk about our defense with our current starting lineup and you jump in with our defensive stats for the whole season. Who cares how we defended in January.

 

[wizenheimer]

That’s not the point. Yes they are losing just like they lost to us but they’ve been scoring a lot which has nothing to do with their record. Obviously their defense sucks but I never said they were a good team. Not sure why you’re citing their record. This is what happens when someone jumps into a conversation without reading the preceding posts.

who cares if they are scoring a lot? It obviously means nothing or they'd have more wins

they are still a shitty team that ranks 27th in offensive rating and the Blazer gave up a 126.0 defensive rating against them

Portland 126.0
Utah 113.2
Milwaukee 121.7
Philly 116.5
NY 100.6
Golden State 82.5
Milwaukee 132.5
Minny 103.1
Denver 113.2
LAC 101.1
Utah 88.0
Miami 93.7
Orlando 114.2
Denver 102.7
Indiana 113.7

congratulations to the Blazers...they had the 14th worst defensive rating against the awesome Houston offense over the their last 15 games

Milwaukee was the only team to give up a worse rating, but they gave up 81 points to Kevin Porter and Christian Wood who just happened to miss the Blazer game

 

[KSF-ERIC]

who cares if they are scoring a lot? It obviously means nothing or they'd have more wins

they are still a shitty team that ranks 27th in offensive rating and the Blazer gave up a 126.0 defensive rating against them

Portland 126.0
Utah 113.2
Milwaukee 121.7
Philly 116.5
NY 100.6
Golden State 82.5
Milwaukee 132.5
Minny 103.1
Denver 113.2
LAC 101.1
Utah 88.0
Miami 93.7
Orlando 114.2
Denver 102.7
Indiana 113.7

congratulations to the Blazers...they had the 14th worst defensive rating against the awesome Houston offense over the their last 15 games

Milwaukee was the only team to give up a worse rating, but they gave up 81 points to Kevin Porter and Christian Wood who just happened to miss the Blazer game

Dude the discussion started with “we gave up too many points to Houston” so I said Houston’s been doing that a lot LATELY which is true. That’s the beginning and end of the discussion. Nobody saying Houston is a good team. Not sure what you’re talking about. You’re wasting your time with long posts after the conversation ended.

 

[wizenheimer]

Dude the discussion started with “we gave up too many points to Houston” so I said Houston’s been doing that a lot LATELY which is true. That’s the beginning and end of the discussion. Nobody saying Houston is a good team. Not sure what you’re talking about.

Portland gave up points to Houston at a higher rate than 14 of the last 15 games Houston has played, and the Blazers didn't have to defend Wood or Porter.

besides all that, there's been all kinds of chatter here about Portland's improved defense. You'd think that would be seen against a short-handed team that is 1-9 over their last 10 games

and you said "Houston’s been scoring a lot LATELY which is true"...actually, that's not true, in the 5 games before Portland ("lately") Houston averaged 109.6 points (would rank 23rd); they scored 129 against Portland

 

[Strenuus]

Portland gave up points to Houston at a higher rate than 14 of the last 15 games Houston has played, and the Blazers didn't have to defend Wood or Porter.

besides all that, there's been all kinds of chatter here about Portland's improved defense. You'd think that would be seen against a short-handed team that is 1-9 over their last 10 games

and you said "Houston’s been scoring a lot LATELY which is true"...actually, that's not true, in the 5 games before Portland ("lately") Houston averaged 109.6 points (would rank 23rd); they scored 129 against Portland

All these facts. All this realism. We're definitely not in rose-colored glasses land anymore! Woo!

 

[handiman]

With Dallas' loss tonight, Portland has the best record in the West over the last 10 games, and tied with Philly for best in the league.

Fool's gold or not, there's something intrinsically wrong with "fans" who can't simply sit back and enjoy a bit of prosperity.

 

[e_blazer]

Pretty sure the next three games will give us a good idea as to the answer to this question. But, sure, arguing about this is major board fodder, so carry on.

 

[Scalma]

With Dallas' loss tonight, Portland has the best record in the West over the last 10 games, and tied with Philly for best in the league.

Fool's gold or not, there's something intrinsically wrong with "fans" who can't simply sit back and enjoy a bit of prosperity.

I don’t get it, I fuckin hate Stotts but at this point in the season we may as well just enjoy the ride. We can deal with the issues in the offseason, nothing can be done about it now. I hope they go far.

 

[Strenuus]

I don’t get it, I fuckin hate Stotts but at this point in the season we may as well just enjoy the ride. We can deal with the issues in the offseason, nothing can be done about it now. I hope they go far.

I do too.

But if we don't, its still a win so what's not to like except stotts as our coach?

 

[KSF-ERIC]

I do too.

But if we don't, its still a win so what's not to like except stotts as our coach?

You can’t blame Stotts when we lose if you’re not gonna credit him when we win. Either coaching matters or it doesn’t.

 

[Strenuus]

You can’t blame Stotts when we lose if you’re not gonna credit him when we win. Either coaching matters or it doesn’t.

But I do. Sucks, but you'll be okay. I am!

Go blazers! Win in spite of stotts!

 

[STOMP]

I don’t get it, I fuckin hate Stotts but at this point in the season we may as well just enjoy the ride. We can deal with the issues in the offseason, nothing can be done about it now. I hope they go far.

While I always try to enjoy the ride, at what point of the offseason do "we" gain control over the direction of the club?

STOMP

 

[Titan]

Looks like these final 3 games will let’s us know where the team truly stands.

 

[tester551]

It's the anal streak.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Looks like these final 3 games will let’s us know where the team truly stands.

Nope. We'll beat Utah and it'll be "Donovan Mitchell didn't play," we beat Suns and it'll be "Something is off with the Suns," and we beat Denver and it's "They didn't play Jokic and we almost lost to them (when we actually won by 15)." There are people here who don't give the team credit no matter what they do. NateB has in fact said that we don't have a win to hang our hat on. blazerkor said if we beat the Celtics, we were for real, but then he backed off that take.

 

[blazerkor]

Nope. We'll beat Utah and it'll be "Donovan Mitchell didn't play," we beat Suns and it'll be "Something is off with the Suns," and we beat Denver and it's "They didn't play Jokic and we almost lost to them (when we actually won by 15)." There are people here who don't give the team credit no matter what they do. NateB has in fact said that we don't have a win to hang our hat on. blazerkor said if we beat the Celtics, we were for real, but then he backed off that take.

For the record, the "enough is enough" thing was for real. That didn't make us contenders. It was just a turning point where the team stopped being pathetic and started to play their best but I hardly think or thought that their best would be good enough to make noise in the playoffs. Let's hope I'm wrong.