Tonight is game 4 but no matter who wins both teams will rest; one just longer than the other. The Golden State Warriors look to sweep the Portland Trail Blazers while the Blazers look to gain an emotional edge over the Warriors and grab a game at home to push the series to five game.
CJ McCollum & Damain Lillard have been volume shooters this series. Game 1 they were spectacular enough to challenge the Warriors but it wasn’t any real threat as the Warriors took that game. Game 2 the highest scoring back four (McCollum and Lillard) were held to just 23 on 9-34 shooting and 1-7 from deep. Yikes. Game 3 in their home open it seemed their whole team was clicking; but only until the Warriors came out dominating on both ends of the floor.
But at least one “other” player plays well for Portland. It was Evan Turner in game one (and most of this series but especially in game 1) with the 12 (2-3 from 3) and 10 rebounds. Game 2, in was Maurice Harkless with 15 points in a blowout lost. Game 3 it was Al-Farouq Aminu with 15 and Noah Vonleh with 10 and a couple of crowd pleasing putbacks.
As for the Warriors? Stephen Curry has scored 29 (9-19) in game 1, 19 (6-18) , and 34 in his 3 games; including 2 daggers to ice game 3. Klay Thompson hasn’t yet found a groove in this series tallying 15 (6-16) in game 1, 16 (6-17) in game 2, but he did spark a muffled Golden State team in the 3rd quarter of game 3 finishing with his series high 24. Draymond Green has never been short of work as the DPOY candidate has put his stamp on all 3 games, never coming up short.
Javale McGee had played miraculously in each other 3 games even going 7-7 with 4 blocks in game 1. Alongside Andre Iguodola, and a couple of great plays from Ian “Yan” Clark and of course let’s not forget about Pat McCaw’s play of late, in for the injured Kevin Durant.
This core of scoring guards, ISO scores, wing/perimeter defenders, paint defenders and also big men who can see the floor pretty well, I’d say this Golden State wins this one and looks forward to being back home resting as they await the winner of the Jazz-Clippers series that’s tied up 2-2.
No official word has leaked of Durant returning to the floor in this game 4 but he has been progressing his injured calf and looks to be ready. Mike Brown will be coaching these Warriors and in a fun fact I learned today; Mike Brown has coached in 83 playoff games which is 3rd behind Popovich (256) and Doc River (154). So it seems he’s pretty good in the playoffs. Damian Lillard wants to crush his hometown Warriors and McCollum is always up for a challenge. I love where this series is headed and hope to see some great basketball tonight. Let’s see who catches fire first.
Tipoff Tonight @ 10:30 on TNT
