Statistically Speaking...

[GeckoDude]

John Hollinger isn't favoring us anymore... Historically I can see how this makes sense,

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playo...?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090423

Mainly because of a category which we dominated oh-so-well this season... point differential.

 

[Minstrel]

I'd give Houston a better-than-even chance at winning the series, too, unfortunately.

But Portland certainly still has a decent chance. They'll just have to finally find a way to win against good teams on the road. Channel whatever they had when they played in Orlando.

 

[blazerboy30]

I'm hoping that the Blazers can assume the role of underdog now, and play loose, stealing a game in Houston.

If we can manage to do that, this series is going to be a WAR.

 

[BengalDuck]

1. We've lost home court and needed huge games from Aldridge and Roy to win at home. They're a veteran team and we're a young team. It's not shocking that we're the underdog because that's how I and so many other Blazer fans I know feel. Win one of these next two and I think we'll win, but we don't win on the road versus good teams often.

2. Point differential is not a good statistic with such a small sample size. We were a few Aaron Brooks' ridiculous shots away from winning by 10+, which would definitely change the numbers (although we'd still be down). Likewise, if we play Roy down the stretch of game 1, even in a loss, our numbers look better.

 

[Minstrel]

2. Point differential is not a good statistic with such a small sample size. We were a few Aaron Brooks' ridiculous shots away from winning by 10+, which would definitely change the numbers (although we'd still be down). Likewise, if we play Roy down the stretch of game 1, even in a loss, our numbers look better.

He wasn't using exact point differential, though. He divided the teams into road teams who split the first two and had a positive point differential and road teams who split the first two and had a negative point differential.

Even if Roy plays down the stretch and Aaron Brooks doesn't hit those bombs, Houston would still have had a positive point differential through the first two games.