They one-upped those by rallying to beat the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 and take a 2-0 series lead.
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The Golden State Warriors can all but put this series to bed with a victory and a sweet 3-0 lead. Despite Portland (13-of-30, 43.3 percent) out-shooting Golden State (8-of-24, 33.3 percent) from three-point range, the Warriors wound up turning an 11-point deficit entering the fourth quarter into an 11-point victory.
Thompson scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half, including hitting the clutch three-point shot to tie the game at 91 and the three to give them the lead a little later.
Portland still led 95-94 after a Moe Harkless basket with 5:21 to play. “Our job is to stay ready and be ready to make an impact”.
Portland shot just 5-for-19 in the final period. Green had 17 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
“You’ve got to give credit to Festus just for being prepared”, Lillard said. They can’t defend they way they did for most of the contest – swiping at drivers, dying on screens and giving up open shots.
Green had 17 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks, the first player to reach all of those in a playoff game since Tim Duncan in 2003. What if the Warriors system, the one that claimed the title previous year and won a record 73 games this past regular season, is only as good - as genius - as it is because of Green? It just happens. It’s human nature.
Damian Lillard blows by Klay Thompson, again. The Blazers were, without question, the better team for the bulk of the game.
Like the Warriors, Portland doesn’t employ a traditional big man who they can dump it down to and create offense. It was an opportunity to get a win on the road. We came out and were very aggressive at both ends of the court. Golden State eliminated Houston in Game 5. They allowed 12 points in the fourth quarter, matching the fewest they’ve yielded in the fourth quarter of a postseason game.
Lillard was unable to keep up his fingers plugged into all the holes in the dike into the fourth quarter, and the Blazers ultimately collapsed.
This Portland team – young, overmatched and counted out – is going to make the Warriors earn this series.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second quarter in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena.
But for about 12 minutes there, it honestly looked like Lillard and Lillard alone was enough to annihilate the Warriors’ juggernaut.
Two Andre Iguodala free throws cut the Trail Blazers’ lead to three points, and then after a turnover on the other end, Oracle Arena exploded.
But after Shaun Livingston hit a jump shot to pull the Warriors within 49-46 to force a Portland timeout, the Trail Blazers responded.
Such was his mood Monday when someone inquired about the Golden State center often appearing mean and nasty.
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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry said he received platelet-rich plasma treatment to promote healing on his sprained right knee, the San Jose Mercury News reported Tuesday. “It was a phenomenal effort by Fezzy to change the game”, said Kerr.
