Which Seed Do The Blazers Get?

[ABM]

Most likely, will be one of these

 

[ABM]

I still believe Portland can/will pass Phoenix (and SA) for 6th. However, IMO, this is contingent upon the Blazers beating the Suns next Sunday @ Phoenix. HUGE game!

 

[ABM]

At least you're consistent, MIXUM.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Oh hell, I'll be optimistic and say 7th ... I'm not sure when or if it's going to happen, but I keep expecting the Spurs to kind of falter with Parker out with his broken hand and their heavy slate of games coming up.

 

[hasoos]

I'm going with 6th because I think the team still has another gear left to go into. The effort the last few weeks wasn't top notch, but last night they showed they can play much harder. The question is, what was it last night that triggered that? Is it Brandon Roy being agressive? Did somebody say something to them to get a fire lit under them? I am not sure. But if Roy keeps playing like he did last night, I can't see the team under 6th.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm going with 6th because I think the team still has another gear left to go into. The effort the last few weeks wasn't top notch, but last night they showed they can play much harder. The question is, what was it last night that triggered that? Is it Brandon Roy being agressive? Did somebody say something to them to get a fire lit under them? I am not sure. But if Roy keeps playing like he did last night, I can't see the team under 6th.

Yes. Apparently it was Martell ...

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/03/portland_110_sacramento_94_bra.html

It is an about-face from one week ago, when Roy appeared dazed and confused during a miserable performance at Denver on national television. Roy went 3 for 14, at one point missing 10 consecutive shots, while exhibiting the body language of a zombie.

But out of the poor performance came an important meeting with teammate Martell Webster. Roy summoned his close friend at halftime of the Denver game to ask Webster what he was seeing.

He was stunned by Webster's response.

"I looked at him for a second and said, 'Do you want me to be 100 percent real with you?'" Webster recalled.

Roy nodded.

Normally a friend who supports Roy to a fault, Webster leveled with him: He wasn't setting screens to get open. He was being too passive. And he appeared to have become robotic.

"That's not what I expected him to say," Roy admitted. "I expected him to give me the 'guys aren't looking for you as much..." you know, I expected him to kind of pity-party with me. And when he didn't, I was like, 'OK, if Martell is telling me this, then it's the truth.' He's the first person to take my side, and this time he really didn't."

Roy said it changed his mindset. And he realized that if Webster was telling him that he needed to do more, then the other guys on the team probably felt the same way but were afraid to tell him.

"The way I took it was, 'You need to wake up,'" Roy said. "It was almost as if I was starting to make it like a job. I needed to go out there and have fun and hoop. I think that's the biggest thing you lose when you come back from injury -- everything is nip and tuck, and you are just trying to find a rhythm. Well, he got me out of that."

 

[mgb]

I hope they move up, but I don't think they'll catch the Spurs. They have 3 more losses and that's the column I look at. I think the Spurs are a vet enough of a team to get by with Parker being out. The Suns we might catch, but right now I'm just figuring 8th spot and will be happy if we do move up.

 

[Shapecity]

I think you guys will get the 6th or 7th seed. The Spurs have a brutal schedule to close out the season and the Blazers schedule is pretty much on par with the Suns.

 

[Minstrel]

I'll be optimistic and say the 6th seed. I think the Spurs will fade and I think the Blazers are better than the Suns, even as currently constituted.

 

[Masbee]

Yes. Apparently it was Martell ...

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/03/portland_110_sacramento_94_bra.html

Congrats Martell for helping the team out. I wish you were contributing more when you are playing, but something is better than nothing.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I haven't given up hope yet of 4th. Assuming All-Star Roy is here to stay, and Oden makes a late-season appearance.

Though 6th and Denver is more likely.