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NBA.com

15. Off: 108.7 (13), Def: 107.5 (14) -- The Raptors haven't been able to capitalize on an impressive conclusion to their road trip where they won in San Antonio and New Orleans. They've dropped their first two upon returning home.

http://www.nba.com/powerrankings/

ESPN.com

15. The Raps hoped to build off the happy ending to their grueling seven-game trip, which they closed with wins at San Antonio and New Orleans. But they're 0-2 since coming home, including Sunday's fade against Cleveland.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerrank ... 08&week=10

Fox Sports

13. Only went 2-4 on just-completed road trip, but the wins were at San Antonio and New Orleans.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/powerRankings

SI.com

16. Chris Bosh's used car salesman spoof to get him votes for the All-Star Game might be the funniest thing to come out of Toronto since SCTV. But does he really have to worry about making the team? The fifth-year forward is averaging 20.4 points and 9.3 rebounds.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/w ... ngs/1.html

Cant believe the Blazers are 21-13, you'd think that we would be at least as deep as they are.. Nate is a great coach though, but still. They are overachieving and we are underachieving imo.

MoPeteRules wrote:Cant believe the Blazers are 21-13, you'd think that we would be at least as deep as they are.. Nate is a great coach though, but still. They are overachieving and we are underachieving imo.

A lot of it, IMO, has to do with pressures. There is nothing, nothing at all expected out of the Blazers this year. After G.O. went down, many predicted another trip back to the lottery. They are playing loose, a lot like the way the Raptors played last year.

On the other hand, the Raptors seem to be tighter than the lid on a new jar of strawberry jam. This season, for the most part, they've been playing not to lose instead of playing to win. I don't know if they've put too much pressure on themselves this season but, they are playing tight.

It's interesting how everyone is proclaiming that Doc Rivers and Nate Mcmillan are great coaches. Prior to this year, these guys have had one good year in the league filled with a whole lof of mediocrity. Granted, some will argue well that is a reflection of the talent level they have been saddled with however the level of praise they are getting needs to be tempered slightly. Nate Mcmillan is winning a young squad but they have been building that team for years and he has had his share of losing seasons prior to that as well.

17 of our next 28 games are vs. sub .500 teams.

16 of those games are at home.

8 of the 12 road games are vs. sub .500 teams.

I'm looking at 20-8 over that period.

Added SI.com and Fox Sports

r2k wrote:It's interesting how everyone is proclaiming that Doc Rivers and Nate Mcmillan are great coaches. Prior to this year, these guys have had one good year in the league filled with a whole lof of mediocrity. Granted, some will argue well that is a reflection of the talent level they have been saddled with however the level of praise they are getting needs to be tempered slightly. Nate Mcmillan is winning a young squad but they have been building that team for years and he has had his share of losing seasons prior to that as well.

I would have to agree when it comes to Doc Rivers but Nate McMillan is an excellent coach. He did a pretty good job with the shite handed to him in Seattle and now is doing an even better job with a bunch of kids in Portland. And Portland does not have a bonafied superstar (he had Ray and Rashard in Seattle). Nate is the coach of the year so far.

i think we overachieved last year, and people has some unfair expectations of the team we have now. we are a good team, that's it. we can make or miss the playoffs, it's really a toss up. and for the record, we are not going to beat detroit or celtics anytime soon, so what's the rush. let's see what colangelo does in the off-season.

I would agree that up until this point he is the coach of the year because that reward is based on results and the results so far are great for that Blazer team. However, for whatever reason I keep hearing that he is a great coach. His results have been spotty at best over the course of the long term. The year he won coach of the year he had about 7 guys entering free agency along with himself. When you have guys on free agency, motivation is not an issue. He then parlayed that opportunity to go to a Portland for a big contract when they were clearly in rebuilding mode. Organizationlly they have done an excellent job of drafting and this year at least he has done a good job however to characterize him as a great coach based on his career is folly.