I think the reason there's been so much angst in Blazers Twitter (and among Blazer fans in general) is the concern that this team isn't a real threat to any potential first-round playoff opponent, should they secure a playoff seed.

I think most people, or at least those on Blazers Twitter (I can't speak to those on the outside), expect the Blazers to get bitch-slapped in the first round, no matter who the matchup is. I'd argue they may be underestimating this team's potential at its peak, but who knows.

But I think the *real* problem comes when you look at that in the context of this team's playoff history in the Lillard-Stotts Era.

They've made it seven straight years and played in 11 playoff series (in which they've gone 4-7 because they haven't won a championship). That's objectively good. Sustained success is a good, valuable thing.

The problem is each of those seven losses has been in either four or five games. Every year, the Blazers are either swept or gentleman's swept out of the playoffs.

My *guess* is that people fear and or expect the same to happen again this season, should they hold onto a playoff spot over the last month-plus of the regular season.

I'd argue that's not necessarily fair to this team. I'd argue they deserve, at the very least, a fair shot against any playoff opponent, because I think this is a legitimately good NBA team and weird things happen in the playoffs (remember that WCF run less than two years ago?!).

So y'all can keep your doom-and-gloom mentality that this team is destined to be nothing more than fodder for a contender, be it Denver or Utah or Phoenix or either LA team. Maybe that's all this team is, and if it is, we can worry about that in the offseason.

But I'm gonna choose to be... hopeful and optimistic. And if you know me, you know that's very much NOT within my personality.

Give the team a chance and see what happens from there. They play the games for a reason, so let them play this out and see what happens.