Expections for Blazers this season

[Jsun947]

GSW
SAS
LAC

In no particular order
Utah
Portland

In no particular order
Minny
Houston
OKC
Dallas
Grizzlies

unless Memphis is bit by the injury bug, they'll probably be at least 4th seed. It all depends on how Gasol recovers

I think it's unlikely any combo of Chandler, Conley, Randolph and Gasol stay healthy. And I really don't like their depth, particularly the bigs.

[Chuck Everett]

All of Memphis' good players are older and now a few of them are injury prone (Parsons, Conley and Gasol). They're definitely no lock to be great next year. I hope they are, because I need a few more years of my avatar reeking havoc in the playoffs.

[Jsun947]

I don't think many games will separate 4-10 in the west either.

[monopoman]

I don't think many games will separate 4-10 in the west either.

Well most years in the West has 2-3 teams with very high records and the rest of the top 8 fall within 3-4 games of each other for the most part.

A few games can mean a world of difference in final win/loss record with the West most of the time. I think a year of development for a lot of the younger guys will give this team more tools next year, obviously last year they were very healthy and faced a depleted Clippers roster in the playoffs after the first 3.75 games. Even if luck isn't on their side as much this year this team has the tools to compete with a lot of the teams in the NBA.

[Agenda42]

I expect the Blazers to be about the same as they were last year. Probably out in the first round.

[cycl0nus]

Unfortunately I expect them to fall in the lottery this year. I thought they overachieved this past season, and I expect GS, SA, LA, Utah, Minnesota, Memphis, Houston, and OKC to all be ahead of them. Still a nice young core though.

i think houston and okc will struggle to get to the 8th (okc will be on a down dpiral w/ loss of kd and the uncertainity that will follow rw). portland has a pretty good young core and will be there between 5-8 spot. utah, denver, minny, phoenix even my crummy laks will push around okc. i really like portland, there a few pieces away, but theyre on the right track

[Winsome Gerbil]

I felt like their run last year was...well not luck exactly, but just that: a run. Not sustainable. And then this offseason has to have been a real disappointment. they went into it hoping to make a splash, but as usual for small market teams, FA is the great source of imbalance in the league. Draft, trades, everybody is on the same level. but in FA all the FAs always run off to the same teams, leaving a little midlevel small market team like Portland having to overspend just to keep from going backward. Festus will help some with the nightly Cousins/KAT/Gasol brutality in the West, but its not enough to move them up the ladder any, especially with the Warriors in full cheat code mode. Should make the playoffs.

[LameR]

As a Blazers fan, our off-season has been okay. We didn't have a realistic chance to get any of the big names, so we essentially paid more than planned to remain competitive. I would be very satisfied with another 2nd round exit given the roster and barring injury would be shocked to not make the playoffs. Would like to see Lillard and McCollum become more consistent, and hopefully a couple of other guys make some major strides. I essentially considered this season an extended tryout for young hungry guys to prove they belong. The cap situation kinda necessitated more of the same, so we shall see how this year goes. It'll be fun to watch!

[Freefloater]

they almost beat the warriors, led most of the series , were it not for miracle OT by steph that would be 6-7 game series .... i see them high seeded in west and perhaps even title in playoffs

[Ponchos]

they almost beat the warriors,

lol

[Phreak50]

Unfortunately I expect them to fall in the lottery this year. I thought they overachieved this past season, and I expect GS, SA, LA, Utah, Minnesota, Memphis, Houston, and OKC to all be ahead of them. Still a nice young core though.

This is how I'm thinking too.

Probably even the front office as well, fearing they would drop off and having to shell out so much money to stay on par with what they had last year and hopefully better it.

[WestbrookGOATed]

I really feel like they're going to surprise alot of people and get the 3rd or 4th seed this season. Don't underestimate Dame and McCollum. This team is deadly from 3 as we all witnessed in the playoffs.

[willywazza]

I kinda have a feeling they were the 2014-2015 Phoenix Suns last year, really overachieved with that roster.

However, I don't seem them falling into a lottery like the Suns last season. Most likely they will be a low playoff seed and get knocked out in the first round by a GSW, SAS or LAC.

[MemphisX]

Golden State
San Antonio
LA Clippers
Memphis
Oklahoma City
Utah
Minnesota
Houston
New Orleans
Sacramento

I think all these teams will be better. I think the last 2-3 seeds in the West will be a dog fight though. So you never know.

[BackseatBoss]

Golden State
San Antonio
LA Clippers
Memphis
Oklahoma City
Utah
Minnesota
Houston
New Orleans
Sacramento

I think all these teams will be better. I think the last 2-3 seeds in the West will be a dog fight though. So you never know.

I really need to get a logical explanation why you think the Kings will be better.

[PDX MM]

We have set ourselves up to be a treadmill team, a borderline playoff team that if we do make the playoffs it will be a tune up series for a top seed.

[DusterBuster]

They paid $70M for Evan Turner. Either its going to make them better or make them worse. At most, they're a 5th seed.

Magic Johnson is at you with the home run analysis?

LMAO, my thoughts exactly. What a complete non-analysis non-answer Magic would be proud.

[DusterBuster]

Golden State
San Antonio
LA Clippers
Memphis
Oklahoma City
Utah
Minnesota
Houston
New Orleans
Sacramento

I think all these teams will be better. I think the last 2-3 seeds in the West will be a dog fight though. So you never know.

This is downight stupid. It's like he didn't even watch last season.

[DusterBuster]

I don't think many games will separate 4-10 in the west either.

Well most years in the West has 2-3 teams with very high records and the rest of the top 8 fall within 3-4 games of each other for the most part.

A few games can mean a world of difference in final win/loss record with the West most of the time. I think a year of development for a lot of the younger guys will give this team more tools next year, obviously last year they were very healthy and faced a depleted Clippers roster in the playoffs after the first 3.75 games. Even if luck isn't on their side as much this year this team has the tools to compete with a lot of the teams in the NBA.

This is more/less my thinking. The Blazers showed last year that they can pretty much play with anyone in the league. One of the few teams to beat the Warriors during the regular season (and did so in blowout fashion) and gave them a good fight in the playoffs. Only a handful of teams really dominated Portland to where you could automatically chalk up a loss on the schedule, namely the Spurs.

It's really hard to say what the expectations are gonna be for the team. Assuming health holds up again, they should be improved with overall team chemistry since the same team is coming back from last season and then some additional talent upgrades in Turner and Ezeli. Ignoring the price tag on Turner, they should address some of Portland's most glaring weaknesses they showed last year in terms of needing another ball-handler not named Lillard or McCollum and improving both interior and perimeter defense. If those things hold up, I think they're a 50-54 win team. Potentially a #4 seed.

But then again, I suspect a lot of the NBA will be different next season. Part of why Portland could get a #5 seed with only 44 wins last year was due to the Top 2 teams in the west winning at a historic clip. I'm not convinced that'll happen again....

I don't suspect the Warriors sniff 70 wins again even with Durant. There will be some growing pains as there always is with newly formed "superteams", so they're probably gonna be a mid-60 win team imo.

This also may be the year we see the Spurs finally slip a bit. Duncan's scoring and rebounding may not have been there last year, but his defensive presence was still felt. Pau isn't filling that hole and LaMarcus is a good but not amazing defender.

OKC probably isn't a lock for the Top 3 anymore and with things still up in the air for Westbrook a bit, who knows if they'll even be a playoff team (assuming they do move him). If they keep Westbrook, I think they'll actually still be a near 50 win team next year and compete for that 3-5 seed.

I think the Clippers are the biggest fools-gold team in the NBA year in and year out.

It'll be a competitive West again like always I'd assume, but I suspect Portland will be competing for a 3-6 seed. I don't think anyone is locked into a seed right now outside of GSW and, because I respect the team, I'll lock in SAS at #2 even without Duncan. Outside of that, I think 3-8 is anyones guess.

[DusterBuster]

I really feel like they're going to surprise alot of people and get the 3rd or 4th seed this season. Don't underestimate Dame and McCollum. This team is deadly from 3 as we all witnessed in the playoffs.

NBA fans have the memory retention of a fruitfly.