What are your expectations for the postseason?

[Natebishop3]

I have found over the years that the best way to stay sane as a fan is to manage my expectations.

So, with that said, what are your expectations for this postseason? I know we have yet to determine our opponent, but what would you consider to be:

Overachieving
Acceptable
Underachieving

For me it breaks down like this:

If it's the Thunder -

I think overachieving isn't the right word.

I would be thrilled if we make it to the second round.
I would be okay if we lose 5 or 6 games.
I would be unhappy if we are swept or only win one game.

if it's the Clippers -

I would be thrilled if we make it to the second round.
I would be okay if we lose in 6 or 7 games.
I would be unhappy if we are swept or only win one game.

If we get into that 5th spot and play LAC, I think we have to make it a series. I won't be happy if we're swept or if we only win one game. I'm not sure if I think we can win, but I think the Clippers present the best chance to get out of the first round. I just want to see us compete. I want to see us make them earn it. If they do get past us, I want the league to think it was a war.

Edited - I'm amending the wordage.

 

[B-Roy]

I accept nothing less than clean sweep victories all through the championship round.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I think you have a decent breakdown, except that I honestly don't think that beating the Clips would be overachieving. I think we're basically even with them at this point. My expectation is a 6-7 game series either way. Underachieving would be losing in 4 or 5, and overachieving would be winning in 4 or 5.

 

[Natebishop3]

I accept nothing less than clean sweep victories all through the championship round.

For which team?

 

[B-Roy]

For which team?

Us. Duh.

 

[Reep]

I think it will be the Clippers, so:

Overachieving - Winning the series (certainly, but they will have to be on their game)
Acceptable - win 1-2 games.
Underachieving - swept.

I think Blazers match up with Clippers well, but if they don't play defense for 48 minutes, I think the vets of the Clippers will eat them alive. You know Clips will get more calls than the Blazers, so they need to make up for that by avoiding defensive lapses.

In the end I expect a close series with Blazers only winning if they play better defense.

 

[Natebishop3]

I think you have a decent breakdown, except that I honestly don't think that beating the Clips would be overachieving. I think we're basically even with them at this point. My expectation is a 6-7 game series either way. Underachieving would be losing in 4 or 5, and overachieving would be winning in 4 or 5.

I think overachieving isn't the right word.

I would be thrilled if we make it to the second round.
I would be okay if we lose in 6 or 7 games.
I would be unhappy if we are swept or only win one game.

This would more accurately describe my feelings going into the postseason.

 

[Spud147]

I went into the season with the expectation they'd fight hard and be really fun to watch because they were going to run more.

6 months later we're having this conversation, wow!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

At some point, we're going to lose - and it's going to really hurt - even if we go to the 2nd round. So, I'm just going to enjoy the ride, even though I know it'll crash at the end.

After the pain, and a hundred woulda/coulda/shouldas, and some bitching about the refs, there'll be a time of acceptance. Later, it will be pride, joy, and hope for the future. These guys represent what I'm about in sports - they work hard, they play hard, they are a team in the truest sense of the word, they represent Portland proudly.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I think the Clippers are the 5th best team in the NBA. Are we really on par with them?

How many games we win is irrelevant to me, it's how we play. I want to be competitive. I have already accepted that the officiating
will piss me off.

 

[THE HCP]

My expectations have been blown away. Doesn't matter what they do from here on out! So proud of these guys!

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I think the Clippers are the 5th best team in the NBA. Are we really on par with them?

How many games we win is irrelevant to me, it's how we play. I want to be competitive. I have already accepted that the officiating
will piss me off.

We were 9 games under .500 on January 9th, having just been destroyed by the Warriors in the Moda Center. Then, an unheralded group of Zeros gathered to cheer our beloved Blazers on to an unlikely victory against a supposedly superior opponent in the Thunder. From that point, Portland is 28-13 over a 41 game span, easily translatable to a 56-win pace. In that same period, the Clippers--who were 23-13 the morning of April 9th--are 27-15. So yes, I do believe that we are on par with them, based on how we have played the second half of the season.

When I have time, I'll pull comprehensive data on league-wide game data over that time span. I'll be very interested to see how it all shakes out. Portland being a top-8 team in the league is not far-fetched.

 

[Spud147]

My expectations have been blown away. Doesn't matter what they do from here on out! So proud of these guys!

Exactly, we shouldn't even be in this conversation!

 

[Draco]

If we lose; I care less about the number of wins and more how we play.

If we lose four games by a few points each and play great in all of them I won't be devastated. If we play terrible but the Clippers are horrible as well and we somehow sneak out two unimpressive wins eventually losing the series that'll be more concerning.

If the Clippers regain their form and play their best they should beat us. If they play less than their best can we take advantage?

How does Dame handle pressure and trapping from the Clippers? Does he trust his teammates to make plays? Do our guys take good shots? Does CJ let the game come to him or try to play one on two hero ball? What kind of adjustments does Stotts make if we need to double or our pick and roll defense is exposed? Do we give good effort no matter the score or are we just happy to make the postseason?

 

[oldmangrouch]

The team exceeded expectations and made the play-offs. The likely "reward" is a brutal beating. It may seem unfair - but that's sports.

Sometimes you just have to embrace the positive aspects of the situation and ignore the negative. Even if the Blazers lose 0-4, it was a surprisingly successful regular season. Be happy for that.

 

[Natebishop3]

My expectations have been blown away. Doesn't matter what they do from here on out! So proud of these guys!

Your expecations for the regular season.... sure.

But the postseason hasn't even started yet, and my question was about yoru expectations for the postseason.

 

[Draco]

We were 9 games under .500 on January 9th, having just been destroyed by the Warriors in the Moda Center. Then, an unheralded group of Zeros gathered to cheer our beloved Blazers on to an unlikely victory against a supposedly superior opponent in the Thunder. From that point, Portland is 28-13 over a 41 game span, easily translatable to a 56-win pace. In that same period, the Clippers--who were 23-13 the morning of April 9th--are 27-15. So yes, I do believe that we are on par with them, based on how we have played the second half of the season.

When I have time, I'll pull comprehensive data on league-wide game data over that time span. I'll be very interested to see how it all shakes out. Portland being a top-8 team in the league is not far-fetched.

Well yeah of course we've outplayed them lately. They've also been without the league wide best player from last seasons first round of the playoffs. They've been coasting and resting the last few weeks while we've played starters every game. We are a deeper team with a very small drop off from our 3rd-9th best player. That's a huge advantage over the second half of an 82 game season and when beating up terrible teams.

The Clippers peak of the last few years is much higher than anything the Blazers have done. Will they regain that for this first round? I have serious doubts. We certainly have a punchers chance in this series. But we're significant underdogs and rightfully so.

 

[Pinwheel1]

We were 9 games under .500 on January 9th, having just been destroyed by the Warriors in the Moda Center. Then, an unheralded group of Zeros gathered to cheer our beloved Blazers on to an unlikely victory against a supposedly superior opponent in the Thunder. From that point, Portland is 28-13 over a 41 game span, easily translatable to a 56-win pace. In that same period, the Clippers--who were 23-13 the morning of April 9th--are 27-15. So yes, I do believe that we are on par with them, based on how we have played the second half of the season.

When I have time, I'll pull comprehensive data on league-wide game data over that time span. I'll be very interested to see how it all shakes out. Portland being a top-8 team in the league is not far-fetched.

I hear what you are saying. And I agree to a certain extent. I know that people love to hate on Blake Griffin, I know I do, but he still is a perennial all star and he was out for that whole time. He is back and maybe it will disrupt their chemistry, or maybe he will give them a shot in the arm. The jury is still out.

I do think an argument can be made that we are a top 10 team, I just don't think we are top 5.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

No matter the opponent my expectations are to not lose at home and to see a lot more focused defense. Also, I'd like to think Dame gets out of his slump too.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Honestly? If they are competitive in ever y game, but get swept. Ill be happy. Right now its about the effort, not about the results.

 

[craigehlo]

Win or lose, I just want to see this team fight hard. Last year's loss to the Grizz was embarrassing since the team just played tentative (aside from CJ). I'm optimistic that the addition of dudes like Aminu, Davis, Harkless and Plums will at least keep the energy up.

Realistically, I'd like to see this team pus the Clipps to 6 or 7 at the very least.

 

[illmatic99]

We have already over achieved.

But to answer the question without being condescending, I want to re-calibrate my expectations for the playoffs. I expect us to win 1 or 2 games. Getting swept would be extremely disappointing. Winning a series or even taking it to game 7 would be fucking amazing.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Well yeah of course we've outplayed them lately. They've also been without the league wide best player from last seasons first round of the playoffs. They've been coasting and resting the last few weeks while we've played starters every game. We are a deeper team with a very small drop off from our 3rd-9th best player. That's a huge advantage over the second half of an 82 game season and when beating up terrible teams.

But I'm not just talking about "lately" or "the last few weeks"--I'm talking about half of the season. And yes Griffin was out during that time, but he's still playing with a torn quad, and he's certainly not been particularly impressive since his return, so I'd say their overall performance over the past 3 months is absolutely relevant.

If you want to make the argument that the Blazers at present are built for the regular season and the Clippers are built better for the playoffs, sure, go for it. But it is disingenuous to suggest that the Blazers' performance being on par with the Clippers' is only a recent thing.

 

[Trackjack]

I believe the rest before game one will help this team and actually play pretty good at staples center. Defense will be better due to we will be rested but the scheme has to change for the this series if we play the Clippers. Paul is pretty good at his mid range shot. Since Dame hasn't figure out how to get around a screen that means other player has to be pretty active.

 

[Tunchi]

Damian having a good series that's all I ask for and we play hard

 

[42N8Bounce]

I only want them to win (at least) one game in the playoffs. All I ask is that one win is our last game played.

 

[Natebishop3]

Damian having a good series that's all I ask for and we play hard

I'm curious, do you think about Dame 24/7? You somehow find a way to work him into 99% of your posts.

 

[Spud147]

I only want them to win (at least) one game in the playoffs. All I ask is that one win is our last game played.

I don't think that's too much to ask...

 

[julius]

Early 1st round exit.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Early 1st round exit.