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Now things get tough. We leave Saturday morning for a 7 game road trip that has us playing in:

Toronto
New Jersey
Boston
Miami
Orlando
Atlanta
New Orleans

Only Miami is a gimme in that group.

I'm calling that we at least beat Toronto, NJ, Miami and Atlanta/Orlando and somehow steal one in Boston or NO to go 5-2 on the trip. Shoot, if Charlotte just beat Boston, as long as Ray Allen is on the shelf, I'll like our chances in Boston.

In the end though, as much as I would love to believe that we can go 7-0 or 6-1, I'm calling 5-2.

I'm feeling the 5-2 as well- losses will be Boston and NO.

I'll be the pessimist and say 2-5.

I looked at the schedules, and after Toronto it looks like 5 of the 6 teams will have either 2 or 3 days to prepare for Portland.

And that 9:30am start for the opening game at Toronto would be a killer for any west coast team.

And it's certain that Portland won't be sneaking up on any of the teams.

I hope I'm wrong and the optimists are right though.

So hard to predict .. the way this team is playing lately they make it seem like anything is possible. They always find a way to win. Even when they play bad they still find a way to win. I will go with 5-2 .. Boston (if Ray plays) and Orlando might be our loses. I think we can take NO .. we have done it twice already this season.

I'm thinking 3-4

Miami, Nets and Hawks will be the wins.

And for a road trip like this, I think 3-4 is respectable.

Toronto - a 9:30 a.m....that's barely midnight for NBA players.
New Jersey - Fast break points 24-2 in favor of the Nets.
Boston - The Celtics already lost this month.
Miami - Dwayne gets Wade-like calls at home.
Orlando - Howard shows LMA what weightroom time does.
Atlanta - The Blazers of the East.
New Orleans - a big revenge game for N.O.

Blazers go 0-7.

TBpup wrote:Toronto - a 9:30 a.m....that's barely midnight for NBA players.
New Jersey - Fast break points 24-2 in favor of the Nets.
Boston - The Celtics already lost this month.
Miami - Dwayne gets Wade-like calls at home.
Orlando - Howard shows LMA what weightroom time does.
Atlanta - The Blazers of the East.
New Orleans - a big revenge game for N.O.

Blazers go 0-7.

you've been working this anti-reverse-pschycology-thru-the-mirror hex for several games now. But it's been one game at a time. Now you do seven at once. That's a dangerous game.

Wizenheimer wrote:I'll be the pessimist and say 2-5.

I looked at the schedules, and after Toronto it looks like 5 of the 6 teams will have either 2 or 3 days to prepare for Portland.

And that 9:30am start for the opening game at Toronto would be a killer for any west coast team.

And it's certain that Portland won't be sneaking up on any of the teams.

I hope I'm wrong and the optimists are right though.

I'll join you at 2-5, and I sure hope I'm wrong. I think the only two we win are Miami and Atlanta. Toronto is not only an early start but a revenge game, and I'm sure Swirsky is already flapping his gums about how Portland fans threatened him last year and how the best revenge is found on the court. Such an asshat--and to think, I used to really like him as an unbiased commentator, too. New Orleans is also a bit of a revenge game--I'm sure the Hornets would like nothing more than to send us packing with a little egg on our face after we beat them earlier. I think Orlando will be tougher on the road than they were when we lost to them around Thanksgiving, but if there was a third win we could eke out that would be the one I'd point to. Possibly the Nets as well, but that will be a battle of who can control the pace, and I don't think we can like we did with Golden State last night.

Boy, this is going to be a tough trip. If we were to pass 5-2, though, we may as well start printing playoff tickets and thinking in terms not only of making the playoffs but even having home court advantage. That's how big this trip is in my mind.

Im thinking 3-4 however if Roy is still
playing hurt & Blake is hurt then it
could be worse. If the Blazers
can pull 3-4 I think thats
pretty damn good.

Hey I was one of two people saying BRoy was going to be a Superstar at the beginning of this year and its looking like that might actually come true. Heres to 7-0 on this road trip baby, another outlandishly optimistic prediction!! Whos with me? Wheres Ron on this one to back me up!

I'm thinking 3 and 4 with wins in TO, Miami and Atlanta. My best case is 5 and 2 where our depth allows us to beat NJ and NO.

im going with 4-3 (I'm feeling optimistic)

Boston L
Magic L
Hawks L

Thats my wild ass guess.

Voodoo wrote:Hey I was one of two people saying BRoy was going to be a Superstar at the beginning of this year and its looking like that might actually come true.

You really think Roy is anywhere close to being a superstar? We love him and all, but the guy is probably not even an all-star this year.

mojomarc wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



You really think Roy is anywhere close to being a superstar? We love him and all, but the guy is probably not even an all-star this year.

It was just a joke mojo, sometimes sarcasm is hard to convey across a forum especially with my bad sense of humor I apologize. To clarify I don't think hes an all star this year either (although that could be argued) but you have to admit its crazy how much media attention hes been getting recently. I really honestly don't want to rehash this argument all over again. I was mostly trying mock my own earlier assessment of BRoy and use it as an analogy for my vote of 7-0 on this road trip, as I feel they are about equally as likely .

I guarantee that if we go 5-2 on this trip, Roy will be an All-Star. No question about it.

Literally all year, every prediction I've made, the Blazers have exceeded my expectations. So let's hope they do the same this time. I voted for a 3-4 trip, but wouldn't be surprised at 2-5.

Toronto - early start, revenge game, we lose and the margin is in the 8-12 range
NJ - Nets don't have much of a homecourt advantage, and we should be rested because of the Toronto early start, Blazers win
Boston - we lose, by double digits
Atlanta - I honestly haven't seen a single Hawks game in the past 5 or 10 years, so who knows, I'll say we win
Miami - easy win
Orlando - double digit loss, Joel's gonna have a frustrating night
NO - I honestly think we can win this, because NO literally has no homecourt advantage and Byron Scott really isn't much of a coach, but I'll predict a loss because of an exhausted team looking forward to their own beds

On a sidenote, what's up with the Hornets' rotation? Rasual Butler absolutely torched the Blazers in the first two games, and now he's in the doghouse. On a team as injury-prone and with as little depth as NO, you'd think they'd be playing a 3-pt threat who can also play defense.

Well considering the only game we've lost in the last 17 is the smashmouth Jazzball game, I can't imagine us losing to any of these teams except for NO and Boston. But I could also see us beating them. I choose 4-3 though just to be safe.

mojomarc wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



You really think Roy is anywhere close to being a superstar? We love him and all, but the guy is probably not even an all-star this year.

I would have to agree with that statement right there.

I think hes very close in being an All-Star but I dont
think hes there yet. The consistency is lacking a little
bit with the numbers. I know the numbers dont always
show in how he has a impact on the game, but still if
you want to put him up there as a superstar or even a
All-Star hes going to have to not only help his team win
but Roy is also going to have to have the big stat line.. .

Granted he has been hurt off and on in the season so far.
Maybe if he wasnt his numbers would be more consistent.

As we were going through our 13 winning streak I was perdicting a 3-4 record over these 7 games would of been good.
I still think that mark is a respectable mark, but am voting now that we go 5-2.

Go Blazers!

At worst the Blazers should go 3-4 imo.

Toronto - Blazers will be rested. Will the Raptors shoot lights out against the Blazers in the 2nd meeting? Close win for the blazers.

NJ - I'd say the 2nd most winnable game behind the Miami game.

Boston - Loss.

Atlanta - Dangerous team. Blazers shouldn't overlook the Hawks. Too close to call.

Miami - Win

Orlando - Decent chance of a win. Orlando is struggling. Could go either way. Out of the tough games against NO, Orlando, and Boston this is the game the Blazers can pull off.

NO - Modest chance of a win, but probably a loss.

At best, I can see Blazers going 5-2. Realistically, they'll go 4-3 with wins over Miami, Nets, Raptors, and Hawks.

i will take some stats in consideration.

first, their record and their at home record:
Toronto 18-7 & 9-8
New Jersey 18-17 & 9-11
Boston 29-4 & 16-2
Miami 8-28 & 4-11
Orlando 23-14 & 7-8
Atlanta 16-16 & 11-7
New Orleans 23-12 & 9-7

Blazers 22-13 & 5-10 (on the road)

then, PPG, Rebs, Assists:
Toronto 97, 41, 21
New Jersey 93, 42, 23
Boston 99, 42, 23
Miami 96, 38, 19
Orlando 102, 41, 29
Atlanta 99, 43, 22
New Orleans 96, 41, 20

Blazers 94, 38, 19

BUT!!! the blazers are on a roll and not only they have to keep winning, but this road trip could help to prove and defend that the winning streak wasn't a fluke and that it happened because most games were at home.

also, many fans and writers have diminished the team effort, so getting a positive record out of this will also show them who the blazers are.

because i could bet you guys that if the blazers have a bad road trip everybody will start to say that no way this team has a future, that lol you can only win at home, you suck on the road, etc.

the blazers are on the road to great things, obviously it's a step by step issue, and winning on the road is a big step.

i think that the only game that looks like it's 100% sure they lose is the celtics game, but even the blazers could beat them, yesterday, without ray allen, they lost to the bobcats.

i could be 100% sure they will come back with at least 3 wins but with no more than 3 losses.