Thunders capture Division - Blazers better as 6th seed.

[Nate Dogg]

We got owned by Thunder in the series (3-0 so far) and I am glad we aren't matched against them. That would be an easy first round exit if we played the Thunder.
I'm glad at being at #6 and taking on the Mavericks. If we were #7 we would be taking on the Lakers. I don't see us falling at #8 at this point.

 

[BlazerBeav]

We got owned by Thunder in the series (3-0 so far) and I am glad we aren't matched against them. That would be an easy first round exit if we played the Thunder.
I'm glad at being at #6 and taking on the Mavericks. If we were #7 we would be taking on the Lakers. I don't see us falling at #8 at this point.

Please - owned is being dominated. We've lost all 3 games in the final minute (2 of them in OKC - and two of them where we led by 5+ in the last two minutes). We're hardly an easy first round exit against them.

 

[maxiep]

It's strange; we haven't won a game against them, but I still would feel okay if we faced them in the playoffs. I really do think we're the better team.

 

[THE HCP]

Rather play OKC then Dallas.

 

[yenniedn]

Rather play OKC then Dallas.

I'd still take Dallas . . . unless . . . we could get SAS without Duncan and Manu

 

[THE HCP]

I think Duncan could play know if they were battling for home court adv. He's smart, letting him rest for the playoffs.

 

[yenniedn]

Ya, I know - it was only (very) wishful thinking. I have no doubt that both Timmy and Manu will be ready to go come playoff time. I don't want anything to do with them in the first round. My money's still on Dallas.

 

[craigehlo]

Westbrook kills the Blazers' backcourt, nothing new there. I'd rather play Dallas myself because Kidd is the only starting PG in the West playoffs worse than Andre on D.

 

[Rhal]

Westbrook kills the Blazers' backcourt, nothing new there. I'd rather play Dallas myself because Kidd is the only starting PG in the West playoffs worse than Andre on D.

WestBrook plays out of control all the time, we can get him into early foul trouble with charges then have Miller take it to him tell they bench him. If we don't get him in trouble early he always destroys us.

 

[Mamba]

I'm sorry, but I agree with the OP.

You're 0-3 against the Thunder this year no matter how close the games were. You guys don't have the talent IMO to stop Durant and Westbrook. I think they'd close you out in 5 games. They're getting hot at the right time. Only team in the west that scares me as a lakers fan.

 

[maxiep]

I'm sorry, but I agree with the OP.

You're 0-3 against the Thunder this year no matter how close the games were. You guys don't have the talent IMO to stop Durant and Westbrook. I think they'd close you out in 5 games. They're getting hot at the right time. Only team in the west that scares me as a lakers fan.

They should scare you. They're the only other team in the West that gets the benefit of the calls like your team.

 

[Wheels]

I'm sorry, but I agree with the OP.

You're 0-3 against the Thunder this year no matter how close the games were. You guys don't have the talent IMO to stop Durant and Westbrook. I think they'd close you out in 5 games. They're getting hot at the right time. Only team in the west that scares me as a lakers fan.

I dunno we are 0-3 against them.. we have the talent to frustrate Durant now IMO.. we are 0-1 against them with Wallace. now with Wallace, Batum and possibly Matthews we have the talent to cause him to have bad nights like he did last night. Westbrook I agree with... we dont have anyone to stop him, but we have one key piece now that we didnt have the other games.

 

[Nate Dogg]

Andre went off on OKC last year scoring 26 points in a POR win at OKC.
http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=300328025

I'm just more comfortable with Dallas as Kidd is getting older and we have added Wallace to our bench. Remember Rudy and Roy can run the point if need be and Dallas's bench doesn't really have players to do that.

 

[Further]

I would have liked for them to put Batum on westbrook with Wallace on Durant. Wallace did a great job on Durant, but Miller can't guard Westbrook. Let Roy or Miller play PG on offense, but on D they should be guarding the SG.

 

[Wheels]

I thought they had Miller on Harden most of the time when he was out there? And he was only on Westrbook when he picked him up to stop ball, or on the switch.

 

[Rhal]

I would have liked for them to put Batum on westbrook with Wallace on Durant. Wallace did a great job on Durant, but Miller can't guard Westbrook. Let Roy or Miller play PG on offense, but on D they should be guarding the SG.

I think that was the plan before Batum aggravated his leg

 

[Further]

I thought they had Miller on Harden most of the time when he was out there? And he was only on Westrbook when he picked him up to stop ball, or on the switch.

That might be the case, but I did not see Batum on Westbrook. I guess Rhal might be right that is was injury that prevented that matchup, but I think if we were to be in a playoff series with the Thunder, I would like to see Batum guard the PG, Wallace guard Durant. Also, now that they have Perkins, the Blazers need to figure out how to or who can body him. Przybilla is missed in situations like this, cause although Camby may be the better all around player and even better all around defender, Przybilla would have been better against a guy like Perkins. This offseason, the Blazers need to find a wide body, a brute, who can put in a solid 20-25 minutes off the bench. Oden would be that guy if we could count on him, but in my mind, if he ever plays again, it's just a bonus.

 

[Wheels]

I agree on how Joel could help, I just dont think I want Batum battling Ibaka crashing the offensive boards.

 

[Further]

I wrote PF but meant PG, it's corrected

 

[Ed O]

It's strange; we haven't won a game against them, but I still would feel okay if we faced them in the playoffs. I really do think we're the better team.

Rather play OKC then Dallas.

Agreed. I think that we match up well with the Thunder, and I would be much more confident against them than against the Mavs, Lakers or Spurs.

Ed O.

 

[Wheels]

I wrote PF but meant PG, it's corrected

ah ok.. I feel much better about the post now lol.

 

[BlazersBlood]

I dunno we are 0-3 against them.. we have the talent to frustrate Durant now IMO.. we are 0-1 against them with Wallace. now with Wallace, Batum and possibly Matthews we have the talent to cause him to have bad nights like he did last night. Westbrook I agree with... we dont have anyone to stop him, but we have one key piece now that we didnt have the other games.

Yup. With Wallace we have somebody that can actually give Durant a tough time. There's nobody to contain Westbrook, but we have the depth and toughness to grind out a 7 game series against them.

 

[KingSpeed]

No guarantee we're at 6. We finish anywhere from 5 to 8. Nine games to go.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

i want okc, they are #2 on my hate list

 

[stampedehero]

Your use of subliminal messaging gets a flag for distraction. Is this what Laker fans get as a reward?

 

[stampedehero]

They should scare you. They're the only other team in the West that gets the benefit of the calls like your team.

If this was football I would self penalty so a flag could be thrown.

 

[stampedehero]

Both OKC and Dallas are a pain in the ass. The best luck would be in a matchup with Dallas. When we beat them the look of a Mark Cuban face scoul would be priceless.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Hey, stamped, you know you're talking in a conversation that stopped almost four years ago, right?