Game Thread PLAYOFFS - ROUND 2, GAME 2: BLAZERS @ WARRIORS - 5/3/16, TUESDAY, 7:30 PM (PDT), TNT

[Darkwebs]

2015-16 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
44 - 38
(16-25 Road)
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
73 - 9
(39-2 Home)




_____________________________
---------PROBABLE STARTERS---------

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS SHAUN LIVINGSTON

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS KLAY THOMPSON

SF

MAURICE HARKLESS VS HARRISON BARNES

PF

AL-FAROUQ AMINU VS DRAYMOND GREEN

C

MASON PLUMLEE VS ANDREW BOGUT


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WHEN: 7:30 PM, TUESDAY, 5/3/2016

WHERE: ORACLE ARENA, OAKLAND, CA

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

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--------------BENCH--------------
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

ROBERTS , HENDERSON , CRABBE , MONTERO

CONNAUGHTON , VONLEH , DAVIS , KAMAN

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

CLARK , BARBOSA , RUSH , IGUODALA

McADOO , SPEIGHTS , EZELI , VAREJAO

INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Meyers Leonard (dislocated left shoulder): OUT
WARRIORS
Stephen Curry (MCL sprain, right knee): OUT
Kevon Looney (left hip surgery): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- STEVE KERR



WARRIORS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES
BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

PLAYOFF SERIES NOTES
• This will be the first ever meeting between the Trail Blazers and Warriors in the NBA Playoffs. Golden State is one of two Western Conference teams that Portland has never matched up against in the postseason (New Orleans). Each of Portland’s last three playoff series have come against team’s it has never faced in the postseason (Memphis, Los Angeles).

• Since Portland became a franchise in 1970, Portland has made the playoffs 32 times, while Golden State has qualified 16 times. The two teams have both reached the playoffs in the same year in nine of those seasons.

• The Trail Blazers are advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals for the second time in the past three seasons (11th time overall).

• By earning the fifth seed, the Trail Blazers have finished in the top-5 in the Western Conference in three consecutive seasons for the first time since doing so in four straight seasons from 1989-90 to 1992-93.

• In NBA postseason history, teams that lost the regular-season series versus their playoff opponent are 158-387 in those postseason series (entering the 2016 NBA Playoffs). Portland defeated the Clippers 4-2 despite dropping three of four regular season games.


CONNECTIONS
• Golden State head coach Steve Kerr finished first in voting for the 2016 NBA Coach of the Year, while Portland’s Terry Stotts finished as the NBA’s runner-up.

• Warriors head coach Steve Kerr played one season for the Trail Blazers during the 2001-02 campaign.

• Warriors guard Klay Thompson is the son of former Trail Blazer Mychal Thompson, who the Trail Blazers selected first overall in the 1978 NBA Draft. Thompson played seven years in Portland (1978-86).

• Golden State assistant coach Luke Walton is the son of Bill Walton, who was a member of Portland’s 1976-77 NBA Championship team. Bill Walton spent his first four NBA seasons with the Trail Blazers from 1974-75 to 1977-78.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS IN THE SERIES

GAME #1: Loss 106-118

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[Darkwebs]

Game 2 Preview by NBATV

​

 

[Strenuus]

Okay, now we have a MUCH better chance to win now that DW did the thread. THANK YOU.

#notsuperstitousatall

 

[Chris Craig]

We got this!

 

[Jon]

i blame our last loss on espn_hall_of_famer for not letting Darkwebs do the game thread....

 

[THE HCP]

Very excited for tonight. I was impressed how our guys never really quit in game 1. We actually hung with them after that initial offensive explosion they threw at us. Hope AC brings it again. I believe CJ will find his shot again. We have to steal one before Curry returns! #RIPCITY

 

[THE HCP]

Ya, that douche is to blame for our loss. Just some random guy coming on here and making a thread. But Sly and Denny are just as much to blame for not locking that and having DarkWing make a real one!

 

[SIeepwalker]

I'll create a shitty thread for game 3 and jinx everything again ! *evil laugh*

 

[Jon]

I'll create a shitty thread for game 3 and jinx everything again ! *evil laugh*

i can see you looking like this when you were typing...

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I have a decent feeling about this game. The Warriors rode some hot shooting in the first, but played pretty mortally in the next three; if they get cocky, we can smack them down.

 

[THE HCP]

I have a decent feeling about this game. The Warriors rode some hot shooting in the first, but played pretty mortally in the next three; if they get cocky, we can smack them down.

I was about to post that we need to take the ball to the rack and get some of their bigs in foul trouble. But they are so deep, and not only that, their bigs were swatting the shit out of out shots all game.
Maybe we slow it down? It's series like this that we really miss a dominate low post scorer that we could drop it down to.

 

[riverman]

I was about to post that we need to take the ball to the rack and get some of their bigs in foul trouble. But they are so deep, and not only that, their bigs were swatting the shit out of out shots all game.
Maybe we slow it down? It's series like this that we really miss a dominate low post scorer that we could drop it down to.

I want to see our bigs actually score in the paint..make them pay for a change. That'll take the pressure off the front court a bit...Mason and Ed need to put the ball in the hoop way more often

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Getting Bargs in foul trouble early is a big deal (though not as big a deal because Sideshow Bob is on their bench now); we've done it in the past, and I think we can do it at home, but tonight if the refs let us, it'll be YOOGE.

 

[THE HCP]

I want to see our bigs actually score in the paint..make them pay for a change. That'll take the pressure off the front court a bit...Mason and Ed need to put the ball in the hoop way more often

That's just it though. They aren't go to guys that have go to type post games. They are the guys you love having on your team at the park that are balls out and hustle, but when it comes to getting that go to bucket, you just can't depend on them. Other teams know this. That is the main reason I predicted and was very wrong about this season. I just other teams would recognize that our backcourt is our only true threat. Our other guys really stepped it up this season, but when you are in the playoffs it gets tough. Wish we could give Ed Davis, Al Jefferson's post game for a couple weeks..... keep the Warriors bigs honest.

 

[Sedatedfork]

Hey, if the Thunder can turn around after getting blasted as bad as they did and steal a game, why not us!

 

[Dom McBlazer]

LOL, even McCollum is pointing out the illegal screens that GS uses.

 

[Chris Craig]

Doing nothing but talking to coworkers about the game tonight...must get work done...

 

[riverman]

That's just it though. They aren't go to guys that have go to type post games. They are the guys you love having on your team at the park that are balls out and hustle, but when it comes to getting that go to bucket, you just can't depend on them. Other teams know this. That is the main reason I predicted and was very wrong about this season. I just other teams would recognize that our backcourt is our only true threat. Our other guys really stepped it up this season, but when you are in the playoffs it gets tough. Wish we could give Ed Davis, Al Jefferson's post game for a couple weeks..... keep the Warriors bigs honest.

I get that they're not chip shot or jump shooters but both of them can dunk a basketball and both have had double double games...we need to get one of them going to even attempt to steal a game from them. I like the Al Jefferson example...I'd rather see some Whiteside from Ed though. Slam that rock!

 

[Boob-No-More]

I was about to post that we need to take the ball to the rack and get some of their bigs in foul trouble. But they are so deep, and not only that, their bigs were swatting the shit out of out shots all game.
Maybe we slow it down? It's series like this that we really miss a dominate low post scorer that we could drop it down to.

Bad idea, you got that backwards. We need to push the ball and get easy shots before they can get their defense set. That's how we outscored them after the initial outburst. If you walk it up and let their defense get set with their big men camped in the paint, you're not going to get any easy looks, either on the perimeter or in the paint.

But, it all starts with rebounding. We NEED to keep them off the offensive glass, get the defensive rebounds and push it up the court and get some easy shots before they get their defense set.

BNM

 

[THE HCP]

Bad idea, you got that backwards. We need to push the ball and get easy shots before they can get their defense set. That's how we outscored them after the initial outburst. If you walk it up and let their defense get set with their big men camped in the paint, you're not going to get any easy looks, either on the perimeter or in the paint.

But, it all starts with rebounding. We NEED to keep them off the offensive glass, get the defensive rebounds and push it up the court and get some easy shots before they get their defense set.

BNM

Good points. I guess you're right. It's just that when they get to runnin' they are unstoppable. I guess we could and just hope our other guys like AC, Henderson and Aminu's 3s are dropping.

 

[Boob-No-More]

That's just it though. They aren't go to guys that have go to type post games. They are the guys you love having on your team at the park that are balls out and hustle, but when it comes to getting that go to bucket, you just can't depend on them. Other teams know this. That is the main reason I predicted and was very wrong about this season. I just other teams would recognize that our backcourt is our only true threat. Our other guys really stepped it up this season, but when you are in the playoffs it gets tough. Wish we could give Ed Davis, Al Jefferson's post game for a couple weeks..... keep the Warriors bigs honest.

But we don't have that. What we have are mobile bigs. Bogut and Varejao are big and plodding. Let them get camped in the paint and we don't have much of a chance to score at the rim. Push the ball and beat those guys back. Use our advantage as an advantage. Plumlee runs the floor and finishes well. Use that. If you expect him to post up and out muscle Bogut, it ain't gonna happen. He is what he is. They are what they are. Use our speed to negate their strength.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Good points. I guess you're right. It's just that when they get to runnin' they are unstoppable. I guess we could and just hope our other guys like AC, Henderson and Aminu's 3s are dropping.

Less so with Curry out. Even with Curry healthy, I seem to remember us running them out of the gym back in February.

They don't need Bogut running the court to be successful on offense, but they do need him in the paint to be their best defensively. So, the key is to control the defensive glass and beat Bogut up the floor. Wear that fucker out.

BNM

 

[illmatic99]

Can we make a consensus to call Bogut, "Bogus?"

He's prolly the only Warrior I really hate.

 

[BBert]

Very excited for tonight. I was impressed how our guys never really quit in game 1. We actually hung with them after that initial offensive explosion they threw at us. Hope AC brings it again. I believe CJ will find his shot again. We have to steal one before Curry returns! #RIPCITY

All of this.

 

[riverman]

If ever there was a team due for a shooting slump after 2 years of lights out shooting..it's the Warriors..maybe tonight's the night!

 

[THE HCP]

Nobody has really talked about one of the major keys to the series is Varajao. I think he is really fired up to play his former teammates!

 

[BigGameDamian]

Nobody has really talked about one of the major keys to the series is Varajao. I think he is really fired up to play his former teammates!

Should we have kept him around? Who knew the Blazers would have made it this far though, Other than Kingspeed that is.

 

[Natebishop3]

1......2......3...... CANCUN!

 

[Strenuus]

Should we have kept him around? Who knew the Blazers would have made it this far though, Other than Kingspeed that is.

Nah, I'm fine with him not being here.

 

[selloutking]

Nah, I'm fine with him not being here.

same
besides, if he was here, we never would have had someone to get Hendo all fired up and chippy. we need more of that! remember how chippy it was last year and year before last against the dubs? if we could get back into that mode it'll be fire!