NBA Playoffs Preview: Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers
The Golden State Warriors enter the second round of the NBA Playoffs without Stephen Curry, who is still nursing a knee injury, and although head coach Steve Kerr revealed that he does not rule out the possibility of the NBA MVP joining them in Game 2 of their series against the Portland Trail Blazers, the fact is the Warriors are fine without him, at least for now while they play the first two games at home.
The Warriors-Blazers matchup is the one to watch in the second round, thanks to the added drama of Curry's absence. Portland showed it can rise to the occasion and take advantage of what its opponent lacks and that is what exactly happened in the first round when they trounced the depleted Los Angeles Clippers. But can they do it against the reigning league champs?
Can the Blazers Win?
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Yes, they certainly can, and proof of that is the 137-105 win against this very same team back in the regular season. In that game, the Warriors uncharacteristically turned the ball over more than they usually do. So if Damian Lillard and company can force them to commit mistakes, they have a fighting chance.
Warriors Cruise
But winning one game in the regular season is quite different to that of winning against the Warriors in a series. As a matter of fact, the Trail Blazers got a rude awakening in Game 1 after getting overwhelmed wire-to-wire by Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the supporting cast. Golden State won 118-106, and it should be more bad news for Portland if Curry is indeed making a comeback in Game 2.
So it's fair to assume that the Warriors aren't going to let the next game slip out of their hands. So the only chance Portland has is to win its home games and reach Game 7, where they can pull off a surprise by upsetting the champ. Once they allow Golden State to win one away from home, then it's all over by then.
Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 3 at 10:30 pm ET.
