Reader poll: Can Blazers pull it out?
Fans of the Portland Trailblazers have a way of hanging tough. Even as the team's playoff fortunes have deteriorated, they have cheered wildly, and from the heart. When asked over the weekend to predict an outcome of the playoff series with Houston Rockets, which resumes tomorrow night here in Portland, readers of this blog rated the Rose City unit's chances as pretty good:
| Result | After Game 1 - Houston leads 1-0 | After Game 2 - series tied 1-1 | After Game 3 - Houston leads 2-1 |
| Blazers will win in 5 games | 1% | 1% | --- |
| Blazers will win in 6 games | 8% | 14% | 6% |
| Blazers will win in 7 games | 22% | 30% | 39% |
| Rockets will win in 4 games | 15% | --- | --- |
| Rockets will win in 5 games | 32% | 15% | 17% |
| Rockets will win in 6 games | 21% | 34% | 36% |
| Rockets will win in 7 games | 1% | 5% | 2% |
After a second consecutive heartbreaking loss in Houston last night, though, the confidence of everyone in the Blazer fold is going to be tested. Here's a chance to update those predictions:
Last night was frustrating, disappointing, and even a little embarrassing for the Blazers and their fans. As I understand it, Portland has now lost 12 out of its last 13 games in Houston. Tomorrow night they will have to battle hard at home, just for the chance to go back down there and try again.
Meanwhile, tonight the Lakers should eliminate the Utah Jazz in Los Angeles. Then they can hope the Blazers prolong their series to wear the Rockets out. From our vantage point, Houston will not stand a snowball's chance in L.A.
| Posted at 9:06 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (6)
Dallas will more than likely be playing the Lakers in the next round.
Houston will be most likely be playing Denver unless Chris Paul averages 30 points and 10 assists with David West magically resurrecting his game from last year's playoffs during the next 3 or 4 games. I don't see that happening.
Posted by YoungOregonMoonbat | April 27, 2009 11:40 AM
I think it was a monumental mistake to give the ball to Outlaw for the 3 attempt at the end of the game. His heroics seem to be reserved for games when he has lots of family and friends in the audience. I'm usually a Travis Outlaw fan, but I'm getting this sneaking suspicion that his mind is already in the off season fishing and playing video games. Also, when everyone in the building knows that Brandon Roy is going to take the final shot, the opposing team will most likely successfully defend it if it's a drive to the basket. They need to rely on someone else here and there in the close ones down the stretch so the opposition has a least a little uncertainty as to where the ball is going at the end of game. Rudy is coming up big as a clutch player, and he seems to be able to handle the extra minutes at this point.
Posted by Usual Kevin | April 27, 2009 12:00 PM
They need to rely on someone else here and there in the close ones down the stretch so the opposition has a least a little uncertainty as to where the ball is going at the end of game.
Jordan had Pippen. Roy should have Fernandez -- at least, until he quits the Blazers.
Posted by Jack Bog | April 28, 2009 12:52 AM
Dallas will more than likely be playing the Lakers in the next round.
You've got the seedings wrong.
Posted by Jack Bog | April 28, 2009 12:53 AM
Damn it, I do have the seedings wrong. I was assuming that initial seeding would remain, which is not true. In Dallas's case, they would become the third seed after knocking off San Antonio.
Thanks for pointing that out.
Posted by YoungOregonMoonbat | April 28, 2009 1:49 AM
The winner of 1-8 (L.A.-Utah) plays the winner of 4-5 (Portland-Houston). The winner of 2-7 (Denver-N.O.) plays the winner of 3-6 (San Antonio-Dallas).
Posted by Jack Bog | April 28, 2009 1:52 AM