Here is my take on Portland, and I watch a ton of NBA.....

Aldridge is what he is. The difference is this year he is having a little better year. He cant be a title teams best player. No way. Every legit team has a good matchup against him IMO. Houston can throw Howard. Clippers can play Griffin. Golden St can throw Lee or Bogut. Your team can play Ibaka. Spurs Duncan. Miami Bosh and Indiana West. He is a matchup nightmare for no one.
Honestly, Im not sure he can even be the second best player on an NBA Championship team.

I dont like Lillard much. He is a 41% shooter. He is 6'3 and does not rebound much and he averages 2.5 turnovers a game. He really takes about as many bad shots as anyone.

Batum and Matthews are both nice players. They can play on almost every team, but no stars. Honestly this team feels a lot like the last few Denver teams. Gaudy regular season record and no threat at all in the playoffs. I mean you can argue they have a combined 1 star between Lillard and Aldridge.

Another thing... I know you dont love Houston. But Harden has been banged up. Same thing with Lin. Check out there schedule....
They have as many big, good wins as anyone. They have beat Portland. They have also beat San Antonio and Golden St 2x each.

You should audition for First Take.

Portland is good but they have 2 real issues that don't have any easy solutions. As CJ said the starting 5 is strong but the bench is a pretty big drop off at every position. They cant afford any injuries at all. Plus that bench is almost all young guys with little experience. The only veteran bench players that they have are PG's and Dorrell Wright. They essentially have no front court players with any playoff experience.

The other issue is that they have problems getting defensive stops and don't create many turnovers/easy transition baskets. Outside of trading for Asik I don't know how this will change.

I liked Portland more than most people coming into this season but they may be a bit overrated as a deep run playoff team. Their best players (Lillard, Mathews and Aldrich) are all having career years. Can Lillard and Mathews continue to shoot 43% and 44% on 3 point shots as season progresses and their leg get tired? Can they find enough points on nights that the 3 point shots aren't falling? Can their starters all avoid injury? Can any of the bench players step up?

I think they will win a series and probably get knocked off 2nd round but if they can keep the core intact and add possibly one impact guy and find a player among the younger bench guys they will be tough the next few years

I think they do a decent job. On my days off, I like to watch it. Especially NBA talk.

Chuck what good team does not have a good starting 5? I would take Golden St or Houstons starting 5 all day over Portland. I would also take OKC and the Clippers. Maybe I would take Portlands over San Antonio, but w/ Leonard being a huge wild card, Im not so sure. As for the last paragraph.... What teams are not lined up to be good for the next few years?? OKC is. Golden St and Houston are both going to be good. I dont see how Portland jumps any of these teams? Is it true they are trading Batum and Aldridge for Melo? If so that would be a total disaster. Melo is a ball hog gunner no defense disaster. Its funny I get bashed for bashing Melo, I used to like him. I grew, I understand the game better. Every team this man plays on is better when he is gone. I cant wait to see where he goes in 6 months. Rumor is the Lakers. What a joke that would be, plus if Kevin Love is smart he stays awak in 2015 if Melo is there.

Are you high? Seriously...where do you get this stuff?

um I hate Melo. Im not saying I would do it. First take discussed it last week.

Lebron with a heroic effort so far tonight on a bad groin. 3/4 9 points..... GOAT

You're right regarding the defense...9 straight games opponents have scored 104 or more. The problem with the Blazers right now is they're just trying to outscore opponents...the defense is terrible. In the beginning of the year they were defending and trying to score within the offense. Asik would be a good addition, depending on what they had to give up to get him.

Winning a series in the playoffs would be a great accomplishment for this team. Obviously they are outperforming everyone's expectations so far this season, but they aren't far off from being a real legitimate contender out West...give Olshey another offseason.

I'm sure Olshey won't either.

Who knows. It seems like a lot of GM's are willing to trade for this no defense, ball hog, gunning clown.
Clevland was willing to give up like 4 young players and picks to hook him up with Irving.

If they are a top 4 seed they can win a series, but is that even a lock? I dont think it is. They have a 4.5 game cushion now, but dont you expect Houston, LA and GS to make a push? I do.

Tough game coming up against your rested Thunder tomorrow, another back to back on the road for the Blazers. They better pick it up on the defensive end or it'll be looking like a three game losing streak real fast.

All those early season close wins are starting to even out now, so things will be tightening up in the standings. Before the season started I pegged the Blazers as the 7 seed out West, right now I believe they finish as a top 4 seed. I don't know, all those teams you mentioned have holes...I don't trust Golden State healthwise.

I know I might overrate GS, I just keep thinking they will go on a big run and they might be on it right now. I know I definitely underrated Portland. I did not expect this from them.

Lebron on a bad ankle, sore knee, sore groin and testicles. Plus a 103.3 temp and possible bronchitis.
He still leads his team to a road win in Denver w/ this line 26 points 10 assists and 6 rebounds. Not to mention another superb field goal % night.

Kevin Love 36 and 11 at home and they get beat.
Shawn Marion decided to play his best game in years though. Dude is going for 10 and 7 a game and goes for 32 and 6 tonight.

I'll be there...so far we always get a home game on New Year's Eve. I don't think the team has ever lost if memory serves, even in the 1st year when they were 3-29 going in.

KD opened a new restaurant, right? If you have been, how is it??