With the Blazers on a hot streak and OKC's 3rd loss to the Nuggets, the Blazers are just one game behind OKC for the 3 seed. With OKC's schedule (hardest in the league), there is a real chance OKC drops to 4 or even 5 if the Rockets can make up 3 games on them. Assuming the Rockets don't make the 3 seed (3 games behind with only 22 to go), would you rather see Portland or OKC in round 1?
OKC have the toughest schedule in the NBA post All Star break. They are definitely not going to play up to their record, and Markieff Morris ain't changing that. I think we can catch both of them and play Utah in the first round. Which would be ideal, because that's an offense our defense can deal with easily.
for safety. Rocket still need to make the playoffs! both teams can present challenges for the Rockets.
I want 3rd seed. And i'd take OKC over Portland. At the end of the day, Westbrook is going to chuck games away. PG makes them a lot tougher, but WB is going to drag that team down. Lillard and McCollum carve us up, Nurkic is underrated as hell and will bully the paint. More concerned with them, when they are hot they beat us at our own game.
Dont care who we face if we get the #3 seed, prefer facing Portland, would be nice to get to see a playoff game and watch the disappointment overcome the stoned Portlandians here.
Best case is Rockets get the third seed and OKC drops to 4 or 5. Doing so means Rockets only have to face one of OKC or Golden State, who are really the only teams that Rockets should fear. The problem is the Rockets schedule looks just as tough as OKC's if not tougher and they have a 3 game lead. Even if we we beat them in the last matchup and end up with a tied record we would each have won 2 games a piece so there's a chance they still outrank us. Odds are not looking good for the 3 seed.
GSW, give Cp3 and Harden a lot of rest and drop down to 8th seed to let them knock out GsW early. Get it done with when the team is still in Peak condition and not when Cp3 and Harden are exhausted while GSW is chilling with 5 allstars.
We have a significantly easier strength of schedule than OKC. They have by far the most difficult schedule in the NBA to end the season. We are 16th most difficult. Portland are 12th, basically same as us. We've amassed this record without Paul, so if he can stay healthy we are likely to perform better the rest of the way. OKC have peaked imo.
I think we would easily beat Portland, they are lesser version of us. I also think we can beat OKC, but I can see some scenarios in which they could give us fits with their defensive prowess. I'd pick Portland no doubt.
rather face portland. for one thing id like revenge for that lillard 3 that ended our season back when d12 was here portland has a lot of little guards we can easily shoot over, and we can put Kanter in the pick n roll over and over and kill them. i would definitely not rather have to deal with westbrook and PG and all that length defensively. harden can be just as turnover prone as westbrook against good defense.
not sure how this is even a question...I’d easily take Portland over OKC OKC has length, defense, rebounding, athleticism, and PG who has ascended to superstardom...yeah, Russ is dumb, but they are still very tough What does Portland have? Portland is a buffet of ISO targets for Harden and CP3 to feast on. Dame is subpar in the playoffs with career averages of 24 ppg on 53% TS...give me Portland
They attempt 15 less 3s a game and rebound 7 more a game. I would say slightly different game. They shoot more 2s.
If we meet Okc we will have two of the top three players Harden obviously is the best PG second best Paul is the third best and don’t give the Westbrook nonsense. Paul’s game has substantial influence on games where as Russ can’t carry or be as influential
Rockets need to play the Warriors as soon as possible. Get the 4th or 5th seed. End the dynasty in the 2nd round.
A 1st Round Matchup preference thread in February?? Sometime in April, we’re gonna need a “What’s your Preferred 1st Round Matchup Thread” thread.
