This is the mid-season review for my earlier optimistic prognostication for the Blazers season. Against all odds back in august before they even met each other I predicted a winning season and suggested the Blazers would be a big surprise. Well, it can be said that they are looking less likely to reach the aspired goals first indicated.
Such are the vagaries of trying to anticipate the mysterious number 9 cycles. Nine is the number of endings more often than not. However, with endings come new aspirations and possible dreams fulfilled. I went with aspiration and dreams against the prevailing numerical thought and composite predictions of hundreds of sports writers and odds makers. The collective thinking is that the blazers would win 15 to 20 games (Vegas odds), and anywhere from estimated 15 to maybe 30 by multiple writers both local and national. They already have 17 wins at the half way point of playing 41 games.
As indicated in the first article, I believe the blazers record will improve the second half of the season and there is still a possible bright side to the story to their 2015-16 season. I picked six or seven games that would be numerical indicators for the coming season, and they lost the first two of those indicators. This certainly reflects their season record so far. However, they are not very much behind what I thought they would be at this point. My first thoughts were around 20 wins before mid-season, and then 24 to 27 thereafter.
My hunch is that they will still win around 20 plus games during the remainder of the season. That leaves my final estimate at around 35 to 42 wins. That would be short of my original optimism, and ahead of almost all of the mass media people who cover the NBA teams. You are encouraged to read the first contribution in order to best understand my numerological background and admitted bias towards the Blazers team.