ABM

...to get into the playoffs.

Tough task.

That's if the Lakers, Nugs, Clip Show, and /or the T-Pups win at roughly a 60% clip the rest of the way.

Hmmmmm......it's fast becoming one of those too-little-too-late scenarios for me.......Mr. Optimistic.

I'm not sure even the favorable schedule is enough to save us.

mediocre man

I figure we need to go 10-27 to get a high draft pick that will actually help us instead of getting our butts kicked in the first round again.

Draco

Maybe we'll even get lucky enough to get the first pick so we can get someone like Joe Smith.

Blazer Freak

Or LeBron James..

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mediocre man

Or

Tim Duncan
Shaq
Hakeem
Kareem

MAS RipCity

sorry, MM but this draft class sucks. I'll take the excitement of the nBA playoffs over a lotto pick anyday. Not to mention the guy who we need(francisco garcia) will be available late in the round.

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PDX Fan Since '90

Samuel

Draft classes are never THAT ****ty if the team does their homework...

e_blazer1

Playing for draft picks is a loser's mentality that erodes at a team. With the exception of the Spurs, who only got the Duncan pick because of David Robinson's injury that year, it's hard to come up with a modern era title team that's been significantly built through the draft. Most of the good teams let the bottom dwellers draft the prospects and then lure the good ones away when they come on the free agent market.

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Blazermania is BACK!!!

Blazer Freak

eBlazer. All we really need is a young SG and we have a nice core. THis draft is full of SG's. After this year they just develop and in a few years we'll have a nice young competing team.

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Target

I agree with E. Don't play for the draft. If a draft pick is the best way to get our sg than trade for it.

Always play to win.

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It's only a matter of time before Rip City Rules again!!

e_blazer1

How do you know that we don't already have our future SG in Monya? Besides, an experienced and proven SG like, say Redd, would have significantly greater immediate impact than anyone available in the draft this year.

Look at it this way, the Cavs who got the best SG prospect in recent years in LeBron James are now 2 years into his career. Does anybody see them as a serious title threat in the next couple of seasons? Probably not. And let's say James is getting really tired of Ohio winters when his contract comes up and decides to just take the Cav's qualifying offer and then head to a sunnier, and more media friendly, climate. Then where are the Cavs?

In my view, small market towns like Portland have to work at putting together solid veteran teams that probably aren't going to have any All-Star starters on them and hope to break through that way.

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Blazermania is BACK!!!

ABM

To me, last night's win was huge - in regards to where this team may be headed. With that victory over the Kings, the Blazers have climbed only 5 games behind the Lakers in the apparent 4-team race for the 8th playoff seed.

I know it was only one game, but my guys showed that they wouldn't wilt when the Kings made that final (and expected) run late in the game. When Webber was going off, I was squirming and, admittedly, the old thoughts of "here we go again" began to wrangle their way into my brain's hope chest.

Heh, as such, this actually may become one of the best playoff races in recent memory if the Blazers set their collective minds to join the party.

Target

Hap.

Blazers are only 1 more game behind the 6th spot. Why is your cup half empty this morning?

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It's only a matter of time before Rip City Rules again!!

ProudBFan

IMO, with Telfair, Frahm, Khryapa, Monya, et al - AND - with an apparent bumper-crop of SG's in the draft this summer, the Blazers aren't looking too bad for shooters next season. So I guess I'm in with the 'play to win' camp vs. the 'play for draft position' camp.

At this point, I'm more concerned about the Blazers' Center rotation next season if they can't re-sign Joel.

PBF

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Dan