Read on Twitter
I think the reason there& #39;s been so much angst in Blazers Twitter (and among Blazer fans in general) is the concern that this team isn& #39;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& #39;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& #39;d argue they may be underestimating this team& #39;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& #39;s playoff history in the Lillard-Stotts Era.
They& #39;ve made it seven straight years and played in 11 playoff series (in which they& #39;ve gone 4-7 because they haven& #39;t won a championship). That& #39;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& #39;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& #39;d argue that& #39;s not necessarily fair to this team. I& #39;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?!).
