Road Trip!!! The next big test

Butter · Post #1 » by **Butter** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 4:39 am

JANUARY
Jan 9 Golden State
Jan 13 @ Toronto
Jan 14 @ New Jersey
Jan 16 @ Boston
Jan 18 @ Miami
Jan 19 @ Orlando
Jan 21 @ Atlanta
Jan 23 @ New Orleans
Jan 25 Houston
Jan 27 Atlanta
Jan 30 Cleveland

FEBRUARY
Feb 1 NY Knicks
Feb 4 Denver

A seven game road trip against some solid teams, and then on Feb. 4th, the Blazers get another shot at the Nuggs.

It seems like every time the Blazers get a major challenge, they've found a way to pull out the win. But critics keep finding a way to attach an asterisk to their success.

If they can come up with a streak, and then beat Denver, would they shut up the critics a bit?

PDXKnight · Post #2 » by **PDXKnight** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 4:46 am

Butter wrote:JANUARY
Jan 9 Golden State
Jan 13 @ Toronto
Jan 14 @ New Jersey
Jan 16 @ Boston
Jan 18 @ Miami
Jan 19 @ Orlando
Jan 21 @ Atlanta
Jan 23 @ New Orleans
Jan 25 Houston
Jan 27 Atlanta
Jan 30 Cleveland

FEBRUARY
Feb 1 NY Knicks
Feb 4 Denver

A seven game road trip against some solid teams, and then on Feb. 4th, the Blazers get another shot at the Nuggs.

It seems like every time the Blazers get a major challenge, they've found a way to pull out the win. But critics keep finding a way to attach an asterisk to their success.

If they can come up with a streak, and then beat Denver, would they shut up the critics a bit?

Doubtful. The critics will always be there but it's up to the players to forget about them.

5 out of those 7 are "winnable" but as we all know, anything can happen in the NBA so I'm not counting out a possible victory over Orlando and/or Boston. Granted, they'll be tough games but I'm honestly starting to believe that this team can beat any team as long as they play up to their abilities. The other 5 games might be interesting but they're all east coast teams so if this team plays as it has recently, they should be able to come out with at least 4.

pr0nny · Post #3 » by **pr0nny** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 4:54 am

Pretty much all of those games are winnable (save Boston) but I'd be happy with .500

Butter · Post #4 » by **Butter** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 5:00 am

Well, I know those games are winnable, but one of the big criticisms of the Blazers is that they can't win on the road consistently. I'm sure that even if they win all of the games, critics will say, "we'll Boston and Orlando are the only good teams on that trip"

But, it will be a good test IMO.

Post #5 » by **mojomarc** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 5:01 am

Oden2 wrote:5 out of those 7 are "winnable" but as we all know, anything can happen in the NBA so I'm not counting out a possible victory over Orlando and/or Boston.

All the games other than Miami are also loseable. Let's not get ahead of ourselves thinking we can end this trip with a nine game win streak. It's possible, but it's also possible that I can win Powerball.

Wizenheimer · Post #6 » by **Wizenheimer** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 5:45 am

if I was to guess, I'd say their record when they go into the Houston game on the 25th will be 24-18

Village Idiot · Post #7 » by **Village Idiot** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 6:19 am

That sounds about rights Wiz. 24-18 for this young team at that stage of the season is a huge accomplishment.

Post #8 » by **mojomarc** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 6:21 am

Wizenheimer wrote:if I was to guess, I'd say their record when they go into the Houston game on the 25th will be 24-18

I'd actually consider this a successful trip if we came back with that record. This is an incredibly hard road trip wiht a lot of travel, two sets of back-to-back games and no more than one day off in between anywhere.

DeezXXnutZ · Post #9 » by **DeezXXnutZ** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 6:43 am

Blazers will end the road trip with 4 wins and 3 losses...Look out Beantown......

UGotThrilled · Post #10 » by **UGotThrilled** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 7:12 am

I would consider 3-4 to be a solid road trip. We really need to win at least one of the first two. If we win four games, that is a good road trip.

ph1sh55 · Post #11 » by **ph1sh55** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 7:40 am

agreeing that 3-4 would be very successful, not even miami is a gimme game, and atlanta has picked up their game a lot. New jersey also playing better lately. ALL of these are tough games.

Fitz303 · Post #12 » by **Fitz303** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 7:42 am

If we go 4-3 in the next 7, we're half way to 50 and right on pace to hit it through 41 games.. Not to say we have a chance at keeping that pace, but half way through the season, and we're on pace to get 50 wins? unbelievable

sabi · Post #13 » by **sabi** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 7:45 am

If we can keep this streak going until we got to Boston I'll be so pumped up for that game

PDXKnight · Post #14 » by **PDXKnight** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 7:46 am

mojomarc wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

All the games other than Miami are also loseable. Let's not get ahead of ourselves thinking we can end this trip with a nine game win streak. It's possible, but it's also possible that I can win Powerball.

I didn't see New Orleans listed. That said, 4-3 is probably the best they can do realistically.

Post #15 » by **Charcoal Filtered** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 8:40 am

I was going to wait until after the Golden State game before commenting, as it would be really nice to be nine games over .500 as opposed to seven. At any rate, we are sitting in a really nice position and are clearly a team on the rise. I have always tempered my enthusiasm knowing that January could be a disaster. However, I am pretty confident the Blazers can win atleast 3 games on the road trip. That leaves us at worst six games over.

I am slowly believing in this team and five wins out of seven on the road would probably make me a believer.

RayBourque · Post #16 » by **RayBourque** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 9:52 am

Miami is the only game they SHOULD win on this road trip. All the other games are against solid-or-better teams in their arenas. I'd be satified with 3-4 and happy with anything better.

Looking beyond at the rest of the schedule, there are twelve games left against SEA, MIN, SAC, LAC, MEM, and about ten games against inferior or middling east teams that we should win most of (ASS-U-MEing some semblence of Blazers play were are getting used to). That leaves about half of the remaining games against good or excellent western teams and another DET and BOS game each. I think this last group of games will determine whether the season was a simply a happy surprise or quite unbelievable. I'd sure like to think we can get a few games off of LAL, Dallas, GS and maybe HOU. Not so sure about the three PHO games we have left. One home game left with DEN (will be a good game) and SAS (SAS right before playoffs - ie. SAS tuneup time). Should be interesting . . . .

Wizenheimer · Post #17 » by **Wizenheimer** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 2:04 pm

my 24-18 guess was predicated on winning wednesday against GS and going 2-5 on the road trip. I would be surprised if they go 3-4 on the trip, but this team has done little else but surprise for the last month.

Post #18 » by **BlackMamba** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 2:39 pm

Butter wrote:JANUARY
Jan 9 Golden State
Jan 13 @ Toronto
Jan 14 @ New Jersey
Jan 16 @ Boston
Jan 18 @ Miami
Jan 19 @ Orlando
Jan 21 @ Atlanta
Jan 23 @ New Orleans
Jan 25 Houston
Jan 27 Atlanta
Jan 30 Cleveland

it's going to be important that the blazers keep winning at home, but keep a balance on the road.

i think that the raptors, nets, heat and hawks games are 90% winnable games, vs. orlando and hornets 50%, vs. boston 30%.

so, the preassure is on the blazers, and they have to return with a positive record from that road trip just to shut some mouthes.

we all here know how good the blazers are, but many think that it's some sort of fluke because many games were at home, so it's time to prove those people wrong.

Papercut · Post #19 » by **Papercut** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 9:50 pm

I think people are underestimating the teams we face on this trip. Miami is the only guaranteed win, in my opinion. Boston and New Orleans are both guaranteed losses (have you seen Chris Paul lately?). New Jersey and Toronto are both mostly outside-shooting teams, the kind that play much better at home. They're both winnable games, but I wouldn't give us more than a 50-50 shot in either of them. We have a shot in the Orlando game, but only because Orlando hasn't been playing nearly as well as of late. We should beat Atlanta, but they're playing well and have a lot of quickness and athleticism, meaning they'll be bothering our shooters.

I'll be happy with a 3-4 trip, but realistically expect to go 2-5.

Charlie78 · Post #20 » by **Charlie78** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 12:07 am

I dont think anyone is underestimating the opposition. Especially considering only three of the teams we are facing have winning home records. Nj and ORL are both signifiacantly worse at home than on the road. I dont even think we need to comment on Miami, obviously we can lose that game but it is a game we should win at this point. Toronto is 500 at home, and we match up well with them. As for Atlanta that is to me the most intriguing game as we are both so young and I love the JJ vs. Roy matchup, not to mention Josh Smith who is a beast. NO and BOS I chalk up as losses for sure, but if what your saying is its one in a million than Im saying weve got a chance baby. heres to 5-2 on this road trip in my dreams.