First I'd like to say I'm exceptionally happy with the Blazers this season even with the loss to Houston.  Say what you want about the calls & that if they went out way in games 3 or 4 we win the series (and you're probably right if you think that)

 

The question now is what do the Blazers need to do in the off season/during next season to win in the playoffs.

 

One option is of course to make a move for a sharp shooting defensive stopping point guard ala Kirk Heinrich.  Doing this we probably have to give up Outlaw and Blake/Sergio.

 

Another option is to pick up some vets at various positions who play tough hard nosed defense & have a reputation for this so we can get some of those reputation based calls in the playoffs that Houston now enjoys.

 

Or we can basically stick with what we have & Nate pushes them to play as physical of defense all next season so come playoff time we have a reputation as a physical defensive team.

 

Poll

What do the Blazers need to do during the offseason/next season to make some noise in the playoffs next year?

39%

Trade for a Kirk Heinrich-ish point guard

45 votes

25%

Bring in vets with defensive skills & a reputation for it

29 votes

35%

Play physical all year and build our own reputation so we get reputation calls next year

40 votes

114 votes | Poll has closed

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/sports/basketball/The-Team-You-Dont-Want-In-The-First-Round-Portland.html

 

Pity the Houston Rockets, who could be bounced in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Maybe that is a bad example because the Rockets slump every year right after tax day, just like the swallows coming back to Capistrano. But we could just as well end up pitying San Antonio or Denver or New Orleans.

We should pity whoever gets the Portland Trailblazers in the first round, because that is going to be one tough out and is likely to go seven games.

The young Blazers have turned the Rose Garden into a fortress, having recently beat the Lakers, Spurs and last night the Suns there. And the Spurs and Suns didn’t just lose, they got blown out. The Suns came in a team desperate for wins just to make the playoffs, and they were down 8 at halftime and just got steamrolled in the third quarter.

To beat the Blazers in a best of seven, you had better defend your home court because you know they are going to defend theirs. Portland is 29-7 at home and starting to play their best basketball now. After years of disappointment in Portland — from the era of the “jailblazers” to the struggles of Greg Oden — they are ready to rally behind their team. That arena is going to e rockin’ for the first round.

And the Blazers have the talent to steal a game on the road, too. Brandon Roy is one of the best, most physical ball handling guards in the league. Not only can he drive with quickness, but he is so strong it is hard to keep him off the spots he wants to get to on the floor.

LaMarcus Aldridge has quietly become one of the best, most efficient power forwards in the game. Steve Blake can bomb away from deep if you collapse your defense on Roy or Aldridge. The Blazers have one of the most active benches around, with Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez, not to mention the ball of energy that is Travis Outlaw.

And all of those guys just seem to play a little better in the Pacific Northwest.

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The Eastern Conference has more championship-caliber teams at the top, but there is nobody in the bottom half of the bracket that remotely scares Boston or Cleveland. The first round in the East will be primarily exercise for the best teams. The West may only have the Lakers as contenders, but rest assured they do not want Portland in the first round. Los Angeles hasn’t won in Portland in four years.

And they don’t want to have to find out how to do it in the playoffs. Nobody does. Which is why we should pity Houston — the current match up — or whoever draws the Blazers in the first round. There may not be a second round for them.

Bayles is a great point guard but I honestly don't see him as the starter playing alongside Roy they both need the ball to be effective. From what I've seen of Koponen he actually is that guy. My question is what happens if summer league comes around with koponen as the better point guard? Would you make Koponen wait overseas longer just to give Bayles more playing time? Do you push Bayles further down the rotation behind P.K.? What would you do?

I was reading an article in the Oregonian the other day about Flip getting the ax and Joe Dumars saying that nobody on the roster is untouchable. Ever sine I finished it I haven't been able to stop drooling about the *slim* possability of aquiring Prince from the Pistons. I'm fairly ignorant as to hthe salary implications as my cell phone internet won't let me use trade machine, but I'd happily trade Web, Channing, Jack, and/or the 13th pick to get him in Red and black. He IS the answer to a lot of problems we face at small forward. He's an incredible defender shoots the 3 very well has good handles and doesn't have a selfish attitude on offense but he can take over the game if he has to. What do you guys think?