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This is an important game to get if we want to have a winning road trip. I actually think this and the NO games are not impossible because neither team plays exceptionally on their home floors. If we get this though we have a good chance against Atlanta and then possibly finish off with a solid win in No to finish with my predicted 5-2 record. lets go Portland.

If we want a winning road trip and some momentum, then we win tonight. I just don't see us winning in NO. Even when their best player was Dickau and Damon dropped 54, we still lost there.

I hope we can pull out a win today, it seems like its the right time to play the magic they are slowing downing after that hot start! I also agree that NO is a scary game coming up.

It will be a difficult game.

I think Howard will come out with a vengence. I checked his gamelog, and Pryzbilla held him to a season low when they played last time...9 points, the only time this year that Howard hasn't scored in double figures. Think he'll be motivated?

The forward tandem of Rashard and Hedo are a tough matchup for portland. LMA needs to do a better job on Turkoglu then last time, if portland is to have a chance.

Our poor poor big men, Shaq one night then Howard the next. Quite possibly the two most extreme physical specimens to ever play on back to back nights.

If the Blazers can win one of the next 3 I will consider this trip a success.

DmoneyH3 wrote:If we want a winning road trip and some momentum, then we win tonight. I just don't see us winning in NO. Even when their best player was Dickau and Damon dropped 54, we still lost there.

I think you are confusing New Orleans with Orlando

Nelson is considered a "doubtful" for tonights game according to Mike Barrett.

last time we played the magic we were a diffrent team we are ready for them now

Walton'sBeard! wrote:Our poor poor big men, Shaq one night then Howard the next. Quite possibly the two most extreme physical specimens to ever play on back to back nights.

If the Blazers can win one of the next 3 I will consider this trip a success.

I totally agree. If our goal is to make the playoffs, we need to win some road games, but we dont need to win them all. If we are still up there at the end of this road trip, things will be looking good. Obviously, we would prefer to win the last three and stand better after the road trip than we were before, I just think that even if we end up 3-4 on the road, we are still alright.

We really need this win. It would guarantee being eight over 500 after the trip and show we are ready to make that next step. Orlando has been on a negative swing and it would be great to take advantage.

I was looking at the standings and noticed that if we were in the East we'd have the third best record.

I can see us riding Brandon Roy who should be able to abuse whomever the Magic put on him.

I'm confident we'll win this one in a business-like manner.96-88

The Blazers are going to have to play
one of their best games to win today.

Odds key for the Blazers to win today.
*Attack D. Howard all game long, get him into foul trouble.

Cow says moo & Blazers win two, in a row!!

I think the key is for Brandon Roy to play four quarters of really good bball. That doesnt mean he has to score a lot, its just that he wasnt even noticeable during the miami game until it was desperate, at which point he schooled Wade on both ends of the court. Of course, I think that he is the key in any game we play against a team that wins more than 50% of its games.

Jack and Blake combine for 35 against Orlando's weak guards. Count on it.

I thought Orlando fans were a little classier than they seem. Their game thread title calls the Blazers the "Jailblazers!" Man, that sure never gets old, now does it? Now I just want Portland to run them out of their own building and if a certain center for Orlando breaks his leg, I won't cry! I won't wish for it, that would be wrong. But I wouldn't cry if something unfortunate happened to him. Is that so wrong of me?

Both Brandon and Jarrett are going to need to get to the foul line a lot to secure a win. High percentage points plus foul trouble for the opposing team.

As long as the Blazers stay aggressive taking it to the basket they can win this game. If they settle for jump shots all night long they will most likely lose.

3-2 defensive zone could either make or break it today. Orlando has the shooters that can bust the zone. And Howard inside can do his thing for sure.

Personally, I think the key is to make Hedo and Rashard play defense. You tire those guys out or get them in foul trouble you can collapse the zone around DH12 and make it a much tougher game. I know some Magic fans have said they've seen some development in Howard's finesse game this year, but in the four or five times I've watched him I haven't really seen anything that I would call a finesse go-to move.

And WaltonsBeard--Shaq and Howard as back to back centers are definitely physical, but it's nothing like the old Eastern swing where you had Mahorn/Laimbeer in Detroit, then Parish/McHale in Boston then Moses in Philly and finishing off with Jeff Ruland in DC. 230lb centers needed not apply.

hmmm I was gonna wish them a good game but yeah I saw the title and a couple post saying we suck so forget being a good sport. I hope D-12 tears an ACL... take that magic fans.

Milkdud wrote:hmmm I was gonna wish them a good game but yeah I saw the title and a couple post saying we suck so forget being a good sport. I hope D-12 tears an ACL... take that magic fans.

Be better than them. Remember--with the awesomeness of Blazer fandom comes responsibility.

mojo - you left the chat room, you dirty sob!!