3/23/09 Game Thread Philadelphia @ Portland -- Great game coming up here.. Portland is at home though, but they have slipped a few games there. Intriguing matchup will be Iguodala vs. Roy... Go Sixers!! Denver @ Phoenix -- Huge game right here.. We still have to play Denver, but Denver's schedule is pretty easy for the most part, hopefully Phoenix can play well... and they are at home. Go Suns!
I think both of those games sound interesting on paper. Portland should obviously win but Philly is a long, athletic team much like Portland. I wouldn't be shocked to see Philly pull off an upset but I think Portland will handle business at home. I think the other game may go down to the wire. I'll pick Denver by 1 or 2 points.
We still have to play Denver? No We don't, we won the tiebreak 3-1.. Two wins at home and then the win we had at their place a few weeks ago and then we dropped one there.
The first home game after 5 road games in 7 days is almost like another road game. I think the Sixers will win in Portland. After falling flat on their face with the losing streak, the Suns are playing OK now. The Nuggets haven't looked all that good in winning their last few games. Gotta go with the Suns at home. They are only 3 losses behind the Mavs, are sitting in the middle of a key homestand and I expect them to rise up and take down the flaky Nuggets.
I forgot to mention, the Sixers will be on a back to back. So that game won't be as easy as you think. The back-to-back makes it even then if you are considering that "5 games and 7 days roadtrip and then the first game home game back" situation.
I didn't say anything would be "easy". I said the home court advantage in this game may be somewhat negated by Portland's road trip. That is all. If the Sixers win, I doubt it will be easy.
It just sounded like you said it was easy since you just jumped to "Sixers will win in Portland". That homecourt advantage negation and the Sixers on a back-to-back will cancel each other out IMO, that's what I said.
Did the 6ers lose their last game? 6ers have a lot to play for though. 6th 7th and 8th spots are up for grabs. I'm sure the Pistons,Bulls, and 6ers would rather play the Magic than the Celtics or Cavs in the first. Although the Magic are still better, just saying they would rather play them...especially the Pistons they have the Magic number. Fun matchup Roy vs Iggy...two guys who have hurt us real bad this season lol. Denver has a lot of letdown games, I think they've been doing well recently so hopefully this is another one of their letdown games and the Suns can lure Denver back into their old fast pace, the pace they lost a lot of games playing at.
my prediction is that both home teams prevail. the sixers match up well against the blazers, but portland is tough at home. should be a close game though. i think the suns will win. shaq will dominate the thin front line of the nuggets. phoenix can run with them too, and i dont like denver on the road.
The Sixers match up so well with the Blazers that they demolished them in Philly in their first game. With the Blazers recent schedule, this is why I pick the Sixers to win. If Aldridge hasn't snapped back to form from the concussion, it's really gonna be tough for the Blazers to win. They will need at least a solid 20/8 from him.
I'm hyped up for this Sixers-Blazers game. I hope it's an exciting and close game to the end with the Sixers hitting a buzzer beater FTW. Regardless, there should be a high level of athleticism on display.
And a driving dunk by Young to start things off in Portland followed by a sick tip in from Batum. And another dunk, this time by Dalembert. Not surprising. Great athletes all over the court.
The only reason I think Oden has a chance of getting back on track is the fact that he seems to be a good kid with a good head who is determined to succeed. I don't think he'll ever come close to proving that the Blazers made the right choice though. I've heard all the arguments and I still think it was a huge mistake. I don't think it will ever be the next Jordan-Bowie blunder but it may be close if Oden can't stay on the court.
Long term, the only thing that can stop him is injuries. Short term, he has to stay out of foul trouble. He's had an energetic start in tonight's game, all he needs to do is avoid foul trouble. Oden is pushing Dalembert around like a rag doll.
