The best-of-seven Conference Semifinal series, which the defending National Basketball Association champions now lead 2-0 after winning a pair of contests at home, shifts to Portland for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday. We can build on this game.
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The Trail Blazers came out firing from the beginning as ten points from Al-Farouq Aminu saw them lead 34-21 at quarter time, as the Warriors conceded their biggest first quarter total for the year. However, the Warriors managed to find a way to close the gap and finally gain the lead in the remaining seconds of the game.
Where: ORACLE Arena, Oakland, Calif. In the next game, they might have him back and really get rolling.
The ball movement was much better, and Klay Thompson started showing flashes of his stellar Game 1 performance. “We’ve been down and out before….” We can build on this game.
In the end, Thompson wound up the leading scorer in the game with 27 points, adding to his impressive log while fellow Splash Brother Stephen Curry has been sidelined by a knee injury.
It was not an easy game for the Warriors, but they have proven that they are still a unsafe team even without the reigning MVP, Stephen Curry, on their side.
That’s how this has to be until Curry comes back and when he returns. He took only three shots and was powerless as Golden State displayed its dominance. It was a miserable, shaky period for the Blazers; you could sense the fear and frustration written all over Coach Terry Stotts’ face. Like OKC did to the Spurs last night, the Blazers must start hot and get the lead early. He’s capable, as we well know, for going off for 51 points coming out of the All-Star break at home against Golden State.
Lillard had 25 points at that point and looked capable of scoring at will. Most every Warrior, save for Andre Iguodala, had looked out of sorts on offense or simply wasn’t getting the ball enough to make a significant enough contribution.
The Portland Trail Blazers were feeling good following their series win over the depleted L.A. Clippers.
“Obviously, Golden State is a different monster”, Lillard remarked after the game. Shaun Livingston played 10 minutes, contributing six points, two assists and a blocked shot. The Warriors outscored Portland 34-12 in the fourth quarter, earning them the vital breathing they so badly need. Guards Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined to shoot 13 for 43. It hurts to go back in the locker room after you play so well for so long and you come back in there with the ‘L.’ But it is a part of growth. Instead of trying to stop him with the small backcourt duo of Lillard and C.J. McCollum, Portland rotated bigger defenders against him, including small forward Maurice Harkless and big guards Allen Crabbe and Gerald Henderson. The Blazers not only fell way behind in the first quarter and shot just 40 percent – 10 for 31 on 3-pointers – they also were outrebounded 55-40 and gave up 16 offensive boards. Their fortunes began to change in a second quarter that saw the Warriors take control by going small, but the Blazers continued their quality shot-making to go 7-of-14 from beyond the arc in the first half.
He said the Blazers must match Golden State from the tipoff.
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But in the end, it was all Golden State.
