NBA/Blazers 2025-26 Thread

[pezsez1]

Brutal loss tonight.

[Phalanx]

I saw that they were up 14 heading into the 4th quarter, and I knew they would still lose, the same way I knew during the Drexler era that they would win even if they were down in the 4th. This team is just not very good.

The good news is that it doesn't affect much: the loss actually helps draft positioning and they are in the play-in regardless. There is only one or two games that are going to matter at this point. Win in the play-in and we can look forward to no draft pick and a likely first-round sweep. Lose and the pick will be nearly as high as last year's covert tanking operation produced, and the new ownership will have more tools to work with in what is hopefully a new direction. Pretty easy choice for me.

[pezsez1]

Yeah I think at this point I'm back to hoping they don't win the play-in. Although now it looks like Wemby won't be playing when we face the Spurs this week, so that helps (hurts) our chances. And there's no way this team will be tanking that game.

I'm just trying not to worry too much about what happens in these last few games. Last night's loss showed though that this team just isn't ready for playoff basketball. They're going to get swept if they sneak in. OKC and San Antonio are just way too good.

[Everythingsducky]

Yet Sharpe and Krejci have amazingly been upgraded to doubtful today. Along with Grant, these are/were highly suspicious long term injuries. Who is calling the shots now. Is Dunden pulling strings to get this team into a sure first round loss? Why? You are in the play-in already, just keep the injured, ‘injured’, and bow out. Why on earth would the team want to lose a draft pick? Lose, get the pick, make offseason moves, and start over. It’s not rocket science, unless Dunden is so ego driven, and is trying to prove a pointless point.

[Phalanx]

Miami loses tonight and is now only a game ahead of the Blazers in the standings. Two of their three remaining opponents are playoff teams with better records than them. Last year, the Blazers managed to lose several spots in the draft order right at the end of the season due to tanking teams and tie-breakers. It would be nice to hold on to #12 with three games left.

[Boom]

Carter Bryant is looking like the steal of last years draft. I really hope Mike Schmitz is the first to be let go by Dundon.

[pudgejeff]

Carter Bryant is looking like the steal of last years draft. I really hope Mike Schmitz is the first to be let go by Dundon.

That's a pretty wild take, what makes you think that?

[Phalanx]

Two games left and the Blazers still hold on to a one-game advantage over the Clippers and the Heat in terms of draft position. Last year they were 9th, and the Blazers ended up losing a spot to San Antonio and then lost a tie-breaker to Phoenix to end up at 11. They then traded down from 11 to 16 to draft a guy who should have gone around 35, but that is another story. The point here is that the 12th spot is a decent pick, but we all know that Portland will always lose a tie-breaker, so they need to lose tonight to the Clippers. If they win, it's probably the 14th pick. So go Clippers!

[Phalanx]

Carter Bryant is looking like the steal of last years draft. I really hope Mike Schmitz is the first to be let go by Dundon.

Bryant had a nice game, but it looks like it's not very representative of his season, so I'm not sure about the 'steal of the draft'. Taking him at 11 might have been a stretch. On the other hand, what they did do was pretty darn stupid, so I am willing that Dundon should make a change on those grounds. Frankly, I am thinking about applying for the job. I can't evaluate talent worth a darn, but I still think I could pick better than the Blazers have in the last 15 years. Me or a blind monkey drawing names out of a hat.

[Phalanx]

Why are the Blazers trying to win this game? Dummies.

Edit: Well, they won for some reason. Looks like they will probably finish 8th in the standings with a pretty good shot at the playoffs, only needing to win one of two. If they do get in, they should get Lillard off his duff and into the games. Dude got paid a massive amount of money this year to sit around and practice three-point contest moves. Time to pretend you actually came here to play.

[buckmarkduck]

Why are the Blazers trying to win this game? Dummies.

Edit: Well, they won for some reason. Looks like they will probably finish 8th in the standings with a pretty good shot at the playoffs, only needing to win one of two. If they do get in, they should get Lillard off his duff and into the games. Dude got paid a massive amount of money this year to sit around and practice three-point contest moves. Time to pretend you actually came here to play.

Why should they throw the game? What in the history of the nba, makes you think Portland would have gotten lucky, and got a high pick? Thing will only be a difference of a few spots that we draft from.

[Phalanx]

If you like the idea of getting smoked by OKC in the first round and handing a fat #15 pick to Chicago, then it's great. I was hoping for the 12th best odds, which I believe is exactly where the Mavs were last year when they won the lottery and got Cooper Flagg. So you don't have to go back in history too far. Even if they don't win, the 12th pick is a decent spot to land some talent. So it's the difference between having a decent rookie on an aging team vs. nothing but a settled obligation that could have been paid with pick 30.

[buckmarkduck]

If you like the idea of getting smoked by OKC in the first round and handing a fat #15 pick to Chicago, then it's great. I was hoping for the 12th best odds, which I believe is exactly where the Mavs were last year when they won the lottery and got Cooper Flagg. So you don't have to go back in history too far. Even if they don't win, the 12th pick is a decent spot to land some talent. So it's the difference between having a decent rookie on an aging team vs. nothing but a settled obligation that could have been paid with pick 30.

Portland has had the s best odds, and not got the top pick.

[pezsez1]

At this point I'll be equally happy with making or missing the playoffs.

Making the playoff means we convey our pick to Chicago and resolve what our future draft assets look like. It makes it easier to make trades that involve future picks and swaps. A solid trade for a veteran player would be the best way to turn this squad from a playoff bottom feeder to maybe one that gets home court advantage.

Getting a lottery pick would be nice because obviously there's always the potential to get a needle mover. But that won't help us so much in the near term, that's more of a long-term benefit, and unresolved draft pick issues would still complicate trades.

Of course, resolving our draft issues only matters if Cronin can pull off a trade to make it worth it. And getting a lottery pick probably only matters if we're lucky enough to get something better than #12.

So many variables, feels like a good time to just sit back and enjoy the show.

[Boom]

A top 4 pick would be amazing, but I've seen some very good players mocked at #12. It's a loaded draft and the Blazers have a lot of needs. It will be a shame to lose back to back picks.