Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors Game 2 Preview
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
When: Wednesday, April 19, 2017, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Portland Trail Blazers (+13.5) at Golden State Warriors (-13.5); total: 220.0 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: TNT
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Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers may be coming off a tough 121-109 loss to the Warriors but they will still feel good about themselves heading into their Game 2 showdown with Golden State. The Blazers went toe-to-toe with the top-seeded Warriors through the first three quarters of Game 1. Unfortunately for Portland, basketball is a 48-minute game and that is something Terry Stotts must address heading into Wednesday’s crunch clash.
For the Blazers to grab the equalizer in Game 2, they will need C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard to replicate their heroic performances in the series opener. McCollum scored a playoff career-best 41 points while Lillard chipped in 34 markers of his own in Game 1. They are the first Portland teammates to score 34 or more points in a playoff game since Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter on May 19, 1992. McCollum and Lillard scored 48 of Portland’s 56 first-half points but eventually ran out of steam in the final quarter. After exploding for 88 points in the first three quarters, Portland managed just 21 points in the final frame.
McCollum and Lillard can’t do it all by themselves, though, and the Blazers need their other role players to step up their game as well. One guy who needs to contribute in Game 2 is Al-Farouq Aminu. He laid a fat goose egg in Game 1 as he missed all of his five field-goal attempts. With Nurkic still a major doubt for Game 2, the onus is on Aminu to provide some much-needed scoring off the bench for the Blazers.
Betting on the Golden State Warriors
Golden State’s quest to regain the NBA title is off to a solid start after trouncing the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their Western Conference First Round clash on Sunday. Four players scored in double-figures for the Warriors who extended their winning streak against the Blazers to seven games.
Leading the way for the Dubs in this victory was Kevin Durant. He recorded a game-high 32 points and 10 rebounds in his playoff debut for the Warriors. It was KD’s 40th playoff game in which he has scored at least 30 points and it was his 14th career 30/10 postseason game. The Game 1 win wouldn’t be possible, though, without the heroics of Draymond Green. He was all over the floor on Sunday, posting 19 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, five blocks and three steals in a sterling all-around performance.
For the Warriors to build a 2-0 series lead this coming Wednesday, they will need to continue their excellent play on the defensive end. Golden State went from allowing 47.6 percent from the field in the first half of Game 1 to 39.2 in the second, including 29.2 in the decisive fourth quarter. The Warriors ratcheted their defensive intensity in the final frame, forcing Portland to commit six turnovers. Draymond Green proved to be the inspiration for that defensive transformation, with his block on Noah Vonleh energizing the entire Golden State squad.
Writer’s Prediction
Golden State (-13.5) not only wins but also covers the spread in Game 2.
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