FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Steveo16220 is a GGTK said 02/15, 07:28 PM
I've been staring at this...and i accept

Whiel Portland has had a rough 4 games...what team in the west hasnt? every team will have a slide...this is the same team that put together the great run in the somewhat begining of the season..this is the team that was settign the bar for western playoff contentions.... i think you are counting them out too early..

Every team will slide...it happens...Dallas is 1-4 in there last 5 games...houston is hot now...but they struggled so much in the beginng of the season..who's to say they wont go back to those slumping ways? Kobe's injury seems like it might take him out for a while..

injuries come, teams slump..and teams go on runs...i think it way too early to say they will fall out the running..

Steveo16220 is a GGTK said 02/16, 04:00 AM
With the rest of their schedule looking like top 5 teams throughout it...it also has a bunch of bottom 5 teams as well..along with multiple games with Golden State...and Lakers...i mention these two teams becasue it seems like the blazers have faired well agianst the warriors and the Lakers are a big question mark of playing becasue of Kobes injury....While most will down play it...that is a series losses for the Lakers and loses will come from good teams without him..one team being the Blazers

Like i mentioned...not one team in the west has an easy final half of their schedule...this side of the NBA is stacked right now and not one team will absolutely handle the rest of there schedule...while in fact injuries and...long road trips (the spurs) and slumps will fall in place as it usually does every year

This isn't a "being realistic" this is a conference that will come down to the very last game to see who makes it. I seem them doing just that...I'm seeing Denver's schedule to be a little bit harder the final stretch...they are playing
With march starting out with 5 straight western conference playoff teams...im not saying who will win the playoff race or who wont...its to early

Steveo16220 is a GGTK said 02/16, 07:40 PM
Rockets had full and healthy T-Mac in the beginning of the season and struggled to maintain a .500 record....

This also isn't the 2004 05 06 season...this a newly revived trailblazers...years past you could count of them taking top 10 draft pick spot...now they have made the trades...signed the free agents and put together a really good ball team...and if you were a betting man you would have lost when the Mavs got booted form the playoffs by Golden State last year...or the Pats in the super bowl... things don't always go as planned...especially when there is so much talent in the West.

Denver is 11-14 on the road...not much more impressive...and considering they have 16 more away games...and half of those are against playoff bound teams...i will go with Denver falling off an not making the playoffs. Same can be said with Houston...even with a healthy T mac they are inconsistent...and also playing half of there remaining game against top 5 playoff teams...

If experience is the key to making the playoffs...then New Orleans is pulling off some great wins...3 of the 5 play makers have less than 5 years in the league with minimal playoff experience...