The Golden State Warriors dominated the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 without Kevin Durant to take a 2-0 series lead.
Now going on the road for Game 3, the Warriors will be without their head coach Steve Kerr, who will miss the contest due to an illness. Mike Brown will be the acting head coach for the night.
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant (calf), Matt Barnes (foot), and Shaun Livingston (index finger) are all out as well. Livingston was limited in morning practice, but Barnes and Durant were full participants. In Durant’s second consecutive absence, rookie Patrick McCaw is expected to receive the start again.
For Portland, center Jusuf Nurkic will test his leg during pre-game workouts and should be considered a game-time decision.
Who will help Lillard and McCollum?
In Game 1, Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined for 75 points but were held to 23 points in Game 2. Being at home, the two should come out sharp, with more energy and determination to extend their team's season. However, the Blazers will need other players to step up to provide more help to Lillard and McCollum.
Evan Turner was awesome in Game 1, providing 12 points and 10 rebounds. Moe Harkless was solid as well. Lillard and McCollum will need excoriating help from both, but Al-Farouq Aminu must also make an impact.
Warriors’ defense
Warriors' backbone has been their defense, most specifically Draymond Green's. Moda Center is a tough building to play in, so Golden State should bring more focus on that end of the floor. Golden State's game plan will be to shut down Lillard and McCollum again to force others to beat them. That was essentially the game plan in Game 2, which worked beautifully.
More minutes for JaVale McGee
JaVale McGee provided a major spark off the bench in Game 2. He played 13 minutes, scoring 15 points, snatching five rebounds, and rejecting four shots while going a perfect 7-for-7 from the field. If the Warriors come out lackadaisical, expect Coach Brown to go to McGee early and often.
Blazers must limit three-point shooting
If the Blazers want to get on the board, they must protect the three-point line by being physical, fighting on off-ball screens and running at the shooters. It may be ideal to cover Stephen Curry with more length, but it all starts away from the ball. Part of finishing a defensive possession is corralling a defensive rebound, so Portland should have all five guys working the glass. Since Golden State is such a lethal offensive team, the Blazers cannot afford to give them extra possessions.
It should be an up-tempo Game 3 since both teams love playing fast and taking up quick outside shots. It should be an entertaining match, as the Warriors will look to take a commanding 3-0 lead.
