Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson was a bit stunned when informed that the Blazers have just nine games remaining to leap into position to earn a play-in berth.
“There’s only nine games,” Henderson said following the Blazers’ 122-111 loss Monday at the Moda Center. “Damn. I don’t think time is running out. I think we can still get there.”
It’s going to take some doing.
The Blazers came out of Tuesday 3½ games behind Phoenix (35-37) and Sacramento (35-37), tied for ninth. Dallas (35-38) fell to 11th.
The Blazers (32-41) are tied with San Antonio (31-40) for 12th.
The Phoenix Suns’ schedule is tough enough to imagine them dropping several games the rest of the way. But that won’t matter if the Blazers don’t start winning consistently.
They are 9-9 since the All-Star break. Going 5-4 the rest of the way would mean Dallas would have to go 1-8 and the Suns 1-9.
Not likely. Even going 7-2 would mean Dallas would have to finish 3-6 and Phoenix 3-7.
“Whatever the case has to be done with other teams, that’s out of our control,” Henderson said. “But, like I always say, just control what we can and that’s going out every night and giving it our all.”
True, but at this point, the Blazers’ best will likely not be good enough.
Still, rookie center Donovan Clingan remains motivated.
“You know me, I like to win,” he said. I like to win every day I possibly can. So, really just try to go out there, win every single game from here on out and try to get that 10th seed.”
-- Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)