It is not getting out of the first round

It is not "getting to the playoffs." It is not "getting home court." It is not "getting out of the first round." Their goal, plain and simple, should be winning it all.They need to start Tuesday night against Houston. They need to come out and set the tone for the season, taking it to a decent but over-matched Rocket team. Then, Thursday, when Denver arrives, they need to serve notice the Northwest Title is staying in Portland this year, but this time it will not be shared.Then, on Halloween, they need to go into Houston and accomplish that which eluded them in the playoffs a win.No excuses. No saying, "It is a tough place for us to win." Plain and simple, they need to come out and show they are the team to beat this year.Unlike last year, when they started with a schedule so brutal it ranked as the toughest start since the '60s, Portland has a relatively soft schedule this year. I am going to come out and flat out say it would be a choke job to lose to Houston on opening night. Denver is good enough to win in Portland, but that is what sets great teams apart from the very good; defending home court.

So I will say Portland should win that one, too.They then have road games at Houston and Oklahoma City. Both are eminently winnable.They then have a three game home stand in which only San Antonio should be tough. then five road games, with only the Hornets and Hawks being games Portland should not be favored in. Home versus Detroit, a game at Golden State, then four more at home before closing November out at Utah.It would not be a huge shock for Portland to be 15-4 by the end of November.

They are that good.So yeah, I am going to go out on a limb here. The low end expectation for the Blazers is Conference Finals and it is not out of the realm of possibility for them to win a title Not next year Not three years from now. Not after they start losing guys because they cannot afford to keep them around.This year.60 wins, at least Conference Finals is my prediction.Partying in the streets is my hope. I think they are probably about 5-1 against winning a title, but that is not beyond reasonable to see.