And once again, the Golden State Warriors didn’t really need Stephen Curry in Game 2. Yes, they trailed for the most part of the game, but the defending champions took care of business in the final period to ultimately take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. Now, the Warriors will test their chances on the road for this Saturday’s Game 3. Can they snag the win again? Or will the Portland Trail Blazers start turning the tables around?
Read on below for everything you need to know about this Western Conference matchup. And while you’re at it, check out our preview of Game 3 between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. That series is currently tied at one game apiece.
Warriors vs. Trail Blazers Betting Preview
Where: Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, Portland, Oregon
When: Saturday, May 7, 2016, 8:30 PM ET
Line: Golden State Warriors (-3) at Portland Trail Blazers (+3); total: 211.0 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ABC
Betting on the Golden State Warriors
The Warriors, after all, have proven that they can do so in the previous two games. And that success has been mostly thanks to Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, who have both managed to impose their will throughout the series thus far.
Thompson is tallying 32.0 points per game, and is shooting 42.9 percent from down town. He’s also scored 23 or more points in his last four games. Green, on the other hand, has performed even better, averaging 20.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, nine assists and 3.5 blocks per contest.
To add, the pair of Harrison Barnes and Shaun Livingston has also been key contributors to the Warriors’ offensive rampage. Both players have scored in double-digits in the first two games of this series.
A reason for concern, though, is that the defending champions have not been able to fully lock up Damian Lillard. They better be extra-aggressive on him for this particular game. Lillard torched Golden State with 51 points during their second regular-season meeting back in February. That dominant performance happened at the Moda Center, by the way.
The Warriors are 3-2 SU and 5-1 ATS in their last 10 visits to Moda Center. They are also priced at -175 to win the West again.
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers
No team in NBA history has ever won a seven-game series after trailing 3-0. That fact alone should explain why the Portland Trail Blazers can’t afford lose Game 3. And without a doubt, the pressure is definitely on their dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to lead them from start to finish.
Lillard’s been marvelous in the first two games, scoring 25 and 30 points, respectively. But he’s only shooting 34.7 percent from the field, and you can thank the Warriors’ defense for forcing him to take several tough shots. Still though, Lillard should be able to provide a more efficient performance in front of a jam-packed Moda Center crowd.
The same could be said for McCollum, who scored 22 points (9-of-19 shooting) in Game 2. The league’s Most Improved Player is averaging 21.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 dimes across 40 home games this season.
Those two alone, however, might not be enough to assure Portland the win. After all, the Warriors’ defense has been really solid lately, allowing just 94.4 points this postseason. That being the case, the onus is on Allen Crabbe and Al-Farouq Aminu to carry some of the load on offense.
Crabbe was held to just five points in the second game, but prior to that, he’s putting up 12.8 points the previous four outings. Aminu, meanwhile, has been slightly better as he’s averaging 15.2 points in the past five games. That stretch includes his 30-point outburst in Game 4 against the Clippers.
Ultimately, the fourth quarter could decide the fate of the Blazers. They can go on another blistering start in Game 3, but you can expect Golden State to stay within striking distance. And so, Portland’s got to nail some buckets during crunch time. If not, don’t be surprised to see the Dubs rally back, and win it at the end again.
Rip City is 4-1 SU and 2-3 ATS in its last five games at home. The Blazers are also priced at +12,500 to win the West.
Writer’s Prediction
Portland (+3) wins it, 111-105.
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