Woody Paige picks Portland to go to WCF

[tlongII]

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_13047901

Woody: First, I've got to say you're my favorite person on ATH. The Nuggets had a good run last year. Do you think they can repeat? If you were coach would you go for Carlos Boozer?
-- Jake Pace, Kentucky

Jake: I think it will be difficult for the Nuggets to win 54 games and return to the Western Conference finals. The Spurs have beefed up their talent, and Manu Ginobili will be back healthy, which will make a world of difference. We know the Lakers got stronger. Portland picked up Andre Miller. You might remember him. The Trailblazers are my pick to go to the conference finals. Dallas is a bit stronger, Phoenix a bit stronger, Utah is still Utah.

Next season will be tougher for the Nuggets unless:


They get Wally Szczerbiak as a wing man who can shoot three-pointers (40 percent) and score when replacing Carmelo;

Ty Lawson does a nice little job as a rookie off the bench spelling Chauncey;

J.R. Smith doesn't go bad J.R. on us;

They use the $9 million trade exemption before Nov. 3 to pick up a genuinely good big man who can work into the rotation, score some points and defend. I don't know who that is.



Should the Nugs go after Boozer? The Jazz won't trade him to Denver. You're smart. You know that. Yes, I'd trade Kenyon Martin for Boozer in a minute. But it's not happening. Ever. Thank you. Have a nice day.

[2Cleva]

Note he doesn't even bother to say who they'll face.

[tlongII]

Note he doesn't even bother to say who they'll face.

If we play the Lakers you will be in trouble.

[Culburn369]

If we play the Lakers you will be in trouble.

That's what Denver said...and we left them where we found 'em.

[JamStone]

Losing in the conference finals will mean Portland had a pretty decent season.

[OceaNus]

Reasonable assumption to make. Portland has added some good pieces these past few years. That being said, 2nd round or bust!

[Allanon]

Blazers still didn't fix their veteran problem. Andre Miller is an improvement but he himself has never had a deep Playoff run.

Portland has the talent but still lack the experience to get past the 2nd round when they'll be facing seasoned teams like the Spurs/Mavs/Lakers.

[The Franchise]

Good for Woody.

[Double-Up]

Woody is a tool. Portland goes to the WCF's, and the Suns are somehow miraculously better?

Blazers are a first round exit... again, and the Suns wont make the playoffs, again.

LOL, yes he is.

[Spursfan092120]

lol Woody Paige

[carrao45]

Dude the WCF's are set in stone. Spurs vs Lakers. Sorry tlongII

[iggypop123]

so that means they are having 2 parades for each round they advance

[redzero]

Why do Portland fans think their team is going to beat the Los Angeles? The Lakers can't win in Portland? So what. The Blazers can't win on the road, period, and I am 100% sure that LA will get a better record next season.

[Amaso]

I can see this Portland team bating the Lakers in a 7 game series. Oden would have to be better than he was last season, and B-Roy will have to go off against Artest, but it is possible.

Portland added a decent point guard in Andre Miller and were out of the first round against a McGrady-less Rockets team in an easy series for Houston, yet they can challenge the defending champion Lakers this year. Makes sense

[Banzai]

Point guard is a very key position, especially for a young team. They did lose to a Rockets team that was fairly healthy, yet against the Lakers the Rockets lost Yao and also lacked Dikembe (who was playing well for them) and took the eventual champs to 7 games. Had Yao been able to play that series would not have been won by the Lakers.

[23LeBronJames23]

Its a possobility

[lefty]

Is that Woody guy from the Pacific NorthWest ?

Or stoned?


Which are the same anyway

[KSeal]

Point guard is a very key position, especially for a young team. They did lose to a Rockets team that was fairly healthy, yet against the Lakers the Rockets lost Yao and also lacked Dikembe (who was playing well for them) and took the eventual champs to 7 games. Had Yao been able to play that series would not have been won by the Lakers.

Lakers were 6-1 against the Rockets last year with Yao and had a 2-1 lead before he went down, GTFO with the bull assumptions of what would and wouldn't have happened, like everyone you have no clue where the series would have gone had Yao not gone down, him going down is actually what turned that series back in the Rockets favor. The Lakers had won two in a row and were looking good before he went down.

[Jacob1983]

Which is more likely to happen: the Nuggets going back to the WCF or the Blazers getting to the WCF this year? I would say the Blazers have a better chance because the Nuggets overachieved last season. There's no way they can top last season. I will predict a first round exit for the Nuggets in the playoffs.

[UrAphag]

I'd gladly want to play the rockets in the WCF. Lakers will just beat their asses in the playoffs just like always.

[redzero]

Let's wait until the Blazers actually win a playoff series, people.

[Lars]

Its an easy team to root for (no bags), despite Tllongs shennigans, but personally I am not sold. I just don't think Miller is the right fit for that team.

[tlongII]

I cant believe how many of you are so sold on the Blazers. Who can they beat in the playoffs. Mavs, Lakers, Spurs, Thuggets are all better than the Blazers. I'd even take a healthy Jazz over the Blazers.

and you'd be wrong...