The Golden State Warriors take a 2-0 lead on the road when they play the host Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday at Moda Center in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Golden State haven’t been their dominant selves in this postseason, but still carry a 6-1 record in the playoffs. The last win was particularly impressive, as they overcame a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to win by 11 points. What's been equally as impressive with the Warriors is their defense, as they have yet to allow more than 106 points in any game this postseason. Golden State is doing all this without Steph Curry as well, so it's scary to imagine how good they'll be when he returns from his leg injury. Curry's not expected to return for this game, but will likely be back in uniform before this series ends.
The Trail Blazers looked poised for huge road win in Game 2, but choked away a big lead in the fourth quarter. They carried an 11-point lead into the final quarter and scored just 12 points in the final 12 minutes to eventually lose by 11. What's most discouraging is that Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have been playing well and the results are still not there. The rebounding was a key with this team in the regular season, but they have been outrebounded by 24 boards so far against the Warriors. Look for Golden State to be a small favorite in Game 3 and a huge favorite to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
