Are the Portland Trail Blazers a realistic title contender this year?

As a young team, the Blazers are inevitably going to be inconsistent and streaky. I think they'll make the playoffs and perhaps go fairly deep if they get on a roll, but I think once they're up against an experienced team like the Lakers, Spurs or Celtics, they probably will get outclassed. I think it will be a great learning experience for them, though.It will help them learn what it really takes to win a championship and will bode well for their future.

Watch for a real run at the championship within 2 to 4 years.

If the top 3 stay healthy ESPECIALLY Roy, they will make playoffs for sure. We'll see if the younger guys are conditioned for the mental and physical demands of post season play. Everything changes in playoffs, The ref's miss more calls & it's more physical.

Oden has to come alive big time also.

They are still a couple years away. They have the talent to win at home a couple games in the playoffs but they will end up being too inconsistent on the road to win a series.

Absolutely not. Even though Roy seems to be playing the best basketball in his life, and the "Spanish armada" looks also impressive, thay still don't have enough experience and guts to win in this year. They still need Oden to fully develop and gain two or three experienced players to show them how to win in play-offs.

What's more, this year's title is reserved for Boston. Again. :).

I'd like to say yes since I'm a Blazers fan, but I don't know that they have the depth of talent needed to get to the playoffs. Stranger things have happened.

I agree with all of your statements and feel they can make a decent playoff run this year, but they still require a couple of things: 1) Breakout star or pair of stars 2) 1-2 savvy veterans 3) 1-2 years of playoff experience.

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