Blazers' Playoff Run

As the Blazers have fought to stay above .500 and begun to finally have some success in doing so as of late, winning 9 of their last 12, much as been made of the team's struggle to make the playoffs for a 22nd straight year. Because of the long streak, there is a lot of pride at stake for the team and its fans. But I for one am all but hoping that the team does not make the playoffs. In the last few weeks the Los Angeles Lakers, a team I loathe more than words can describe, have re-emerged as the NBA's best team. So if Portland were to make the playoffs at the 8th and final seed in the Western Conference, there is an overwhelming likelihood that the Blazers would play the Lakers and, as we all pretty much know, get demolished. The reason I despise the Lakers is essentially pure jealousy. The Blazers have been beaten by Los Angeles many a time in the playoffs, with the 1991 and 2000 seasons being especially heartbreaking. Both years I'm convinced we would have won the NBA championship had we gotten by them in the Western Conference Finals. So why are Blazer fans putting their hopes into becoming first-round cannon fodder for a team that starts four future Hall-of-Famers? If this were a military exercise, our generals would prudently retreat and regroup for a later fight, when we could realistically hope to win. Of course the Blazers can't say they don't want to make the playoffs, but let me say it for them. There's nothing to gain except a lost lottery pick in the upcoming draft. Nothing would give me more pleasure than seeing Stoudamire, Ratliff, Miles and company beat Los Angeles. But there's about a 1% chance of that happening, and no Portland fan, especially one who hates the Lakers as much as I do, wants to see another playoff defeat to that wretched hive of scum and villany dressed in purple and gold. A couple more decent trades or draft picks and the Blazers can be back in the championship race in a year or two. I'm setting my sights on that.

Comments

[Evan]

I hate saying it yet again, but I think that this year is different for the Blazers and that if they played the Lakers in the first round, that they would have more than a 1% chance to win. Against good teams, the Blazers are excellent. Look at their records against Sacramento, Minnesota, and New Jersey: 3-1 against all of those division leaders (at the time). And against the Lakers this season, they are 1-1, with 2 games left against L.A. But if they did happen to finally beat the Lakers in the first round, how satisfying would that be??!!

[Brian]

I agree that if the Blazers were to beat the Lakers in the playoffs this year, it would be so great. And you never can tell -- that's why they play the games, after all. I guess I'm just a little more pessimistic about it all. For those more hopeful and optimistic about the Blazers, I salute you, especially after all the negativity surrounding the team for the last few years. And regardless of what happens this year, I feel good about next year. I think there's a good chance Maurice Cheeks will be gone and Jim O'Brien hired in his place, but I like the fact that the team itself should remain mostly intact, other than probably trading Shareef Abdur-Rahim for a shooting guard.

[dj]

You're completely wrong. The Blazers are likely to only get one pick better if they make the #8 spot or just miss the playoffs. Also, I like their chances in the first round.

I love these commercials:
http://www.nba.com/blazers/features/TV_Commerical_Screen_Grabs-102666-41.html

[Brian]

You make a good point about the Blazers only marginally improving their pick by not making the playoffs, but I think your rhetoric, namely saying I'm "completely wrong" is exaggerated. Not making the playoffs would give us a shot at the lottery. We'd have nowhere to go but up in that scenario. Granted, it probably wouldn't be much better, but you know what I mean.

[dj]

Not making the playoffs would give us a shot at the lottery.

This is specious at best. It's a .06% chance! Play the ESPN mock draft 200 times and the Trail Blazers with be #13 every time. ( http://espn.go.com/nba/mockdraft2004/mockdraft2004_this3.html )

The Blazers had a far greater chance of winning a couple playoff rounds they they do of cracking the top three. Also, I just have a principle against rooting for my team to lose, in any circumstances.

[dj]

And to take this to it's logical conclusion - would you have rather the Blazers never make the playoffs, since lottery chances are somehow better? You may want try out the Wizards.

[Brian]

David, you've convinced me of your argument. 0.6% of winning the lottery isn't worth it. I just didn't like your use of words when you said I was, "completely wrong". It's a little combatative. Besides, I think I was only about half or two-thirds wrong. Still, I now wish the Blazers had made the playoffs, especially since we'd have probably played Minnesota, a team we conceivably could have beaten. I had been wary of us playing the Lakers, because I couldn't take losing to them again.

[dj]

I'm not sorry, Brian, I just want the Blazers to win every game for all time. On the other hand, math does amazing things, so maybe we will end up with the Big O from Connecticut:

http://hello.typepad.com/hello/2004/04/dont_drinkdont_.html

[Brian]

David, I love that you're a big Blazer fan even though you're not originally from here and have since moved away. Yeah, I want them to win every game too, despite what I said. It's just that losing, especially in the playoffs, especially to the Lakers, is so painful. I'm really excited for us to gear up for next season. We are returning a solid team that gets along together and isn't dysfunctional, and if we could pull one more trade or two we'll be looking awesome.

[dj]

Brian, I love that you're a Yankees fan. Since you're so used to them winning all the time, you have the luxury of rooting for once of your teams to lose, somehow.

I love you.

David.

[dj]

I am also excited for next season.

[Brian]

A luxury is correct...sort of. I like that being a Yankee fan I at least don't have to feel a sense of injustice or jealousy. I've always been a slightly embarassed Yankee fan, though, for obvious reasons. I'm used to having my team the underdog. But I chose them in 1977 because I loved Reggie Jackson and didn't know about the economics of baseball. For most of my childhood, they were mediocre at best. But I believed in sticking with the team you've chosen, and I got rewarded through most of the 90s. So whatever happens these days is obviously gravy.

[Valarie]

I don't know why there is this need to show who cares about the Blazers more, but if you've ever seen Brian on a Saturday afternoon when the Ducks play, you'd know he's paid his dues as a sports fan in general.

And I also don't know why there is this sudden need to start a fight instead of a discussion with this and some of the other posts, but whatever it is, maybe this is something that you two can email each other about privately instead. A disagreement is interesting; a pissing match is pointless and boring.

[dj]

Brian has not yet loved me back.

[dj]

Also, am I the only one who loves not only Brian but also those crazy commercials of the Blazers in Portland? My only concern is that it reinforces Portland as a mecca of white-hipsterdom. The players (all black) travel around as outsiders given tours by the Portland locals. Was there not one famous Afrian American Portlander (Danny Glover??) who could have given someone at a tour? And what about neighborhoods in North and Northeast Portland? What kind of audience were those commercials trying to reach?

[dj]

I had a dream last night that I was Rasheed Wallace's chauffeur. He was going to fire me unless I got him a pizza with "100 toppings, lots of pepperoni." I ordered it, but when I picked it up I was horrified to find that it was only a single slice. Rasheed forced me to eat it.

[Brian]

I love those Blazer commercials, because however artificial they may be, they foster the idea of players as part of a community, and better yet players off the basketball court. That said, I agree having someone non-white would be a good idea. Not sure what to say about the Rasheed dream.