The Golden State Warriors dominated even without MVP Stephen Curry, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 118-106 in the opener of the NBA Western Conference semi- finals.
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Portland star point guard Damian Lillard was 3 for 17 until his 5-for-9 fourth-quarter surge, C.J. McCollum was 5 for 17 in the game and center Mason Plumlee did not make a shot in seven attempts.
Golden State’s triple-double machine All-Star forward Draymond Green was back at listing 23 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, with one steal, and three rejections. Luol Deng scored 15 points, Dwyane Wade added 12 and Hassan Whiteside had a 10 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks for the Heat.
Game 2 of this series will be on May 3, Tuesday at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. Tomorrow, I’ve got to be better. The Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers 118-106. Obviously I’d like to be out there with them and I feel like we’re a better team when I’m out there, but the way that they play and the way they have that confidence and swagger about them, it’s fun to watch. Once they allow Golden State to win one away from home, then it’s all over by then.
Given that, the Warriors know they can demolish Portland if they really turn it up on defense, which they did in Game 1.
The Warriors led 37-17 after the first frame, and the Trail Blazers never got the gap under nine points from there.
Madison Bumgarner pitches through rain to extend his scoreless streak at Citi Field to 18 innings, Hunter Pence homers and drives in three runs, and the Giants run at will against Mets starter Noah Syndergaard in a 6-1 victory that stops New York’s eight-game winning streak. After Curry’s MRI exam last Monday, general manager Bob Myers estimated that the point guard would be sidelined for two weeks, based on other players with similar injuries.
Earlier, Coach Steve Kerr disclosed that the possibility of the three-time NBA All-Star suiting up for Game 2 on Tuesday may be “pretty slim”.
“We’ve just got to understand that they are a good first-quarter team”, Lillard said of the Warriors. They know their offense will come given this team’s depth and many playmakers. Thompson scored 12 of the Warriors’ first 18 points and hit four 3-pointers in the quarter, including a 30-footer.
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While it’s a scant two days before Curry would have to suit up for Game 2, he has until next weekend for his injury to heal up enough for serious movement in Game 3. Curry has made a statement that he could be ready for game 3 against Portland. The Trail Blazers and Warriors have never previously met in a playoff series despite both having made the postseason in the same year eight previous times (1977, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2014, 2015).
