Steve Kerr told that his team stole Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. Warriors’ coach couldn’t be more right about it.
The guests were leading throughout the entire contest, but simply couldn’t close the game, allowing the Warriors to make 14-3 run in the last 4:28 and to clinch a 114-111 victory. The Blazers previously led 15 points at the halftime.
“We stole that game,” said Kerr when one of the reporters asked him did the Warriors dodged the bullet last night in the Oracle Arena. “I thought they outplayed us for the majority of the night.”
After the first quarter, in which both sides stood close to one another, the Blazers had an excellent sequence in the second period. Lillard and the guys started pounding and got away to a double-digit distance. The result at the halftime was 65-50, and the guests were looking confident.
However, the Warriors came back in the third, trimming the deficit and even taking the lead at one point. But then again, the visitors managed to make a significant difference during the middle of the final period. With Mayers Leonard hitting a mid-jumper, Blazers were up 102-94 some 6:44 before the end of the match.
But then came fury. During the final 4:28, Blazers scored just three points, and the Warriors dropped 14. The fantastic defense of the reigning champs saved this game for them. During Portland’s last possession, Andre Iguodala reminded everyone that he is still one of the best defensive players in the league.
The veteran forward pressured Lillard, forcing him to back down and go into a bad position. When Blazers’ superstar went for the jumper, Iguodala elegantly snatched the ball from him, and the game was over.
“They know how to win,” said Curry. “And they are champions. Look at Andre… offensively it was a rough game, but he makes the biggest play on defense.”
Igoudala’s defense on Lillard was no doubt the highlight of the entire game.
But Dame had a different opinion, saying that Warriors; player didn’t play that one clean, and that he suffered a lot of contact in that action.
“He grabbed my arm, I lost the ball a little bit, regained it, and I was going to shoot it again… it was a lot of contacts, but obviously the ref is not going to decide the game or jump in at that point.”
Dame had a double-double for the Trail Blazers with 23 points and 10 assists. McCollum had 22, but with a bad shooting percentage, 9 of 23 from the field.
Seth Curry had a nice game. He scored 16 points, 4 three-pointers, and had a clash with his brother. While Steph stood at the free throw line, his younger sibling tried to disturb him by talking to him before the shots.
“This was like the coolest experience I think I’ve ever had playing against him,” said Steph.
Portland’s Curry couldn’t do anything to his big brother, who had 37 points, and was by the way, perfect from the free throw line, making all his 11 shots. The two-time MVP had 8 boards and assists also.
Klay Thomspon had his role in the third period when GSW outscored the guests 39-24. In the sequence when the home team started erasing the deficit, Klay was unstoppable, dropping 13 of his total 24 points.
Draymond Green had 16 with 10 boards and 7 assists. He also posted 5 blocked shots and was poison for Blazers players.
The Warriors are traveling to Oregon for Game 3. Things are going to be much different in Rip city, but still, with two wins in their hands, the champs could be more relaxed than their opponents. Stotts’ guys have to win both, and they know that losing either match would mean almost a certain elimination from the playoffs and the end of the season.
Blazers and Warriors played already twice this season at Moda Center, and both sides have one win. That indicates an exciting battle this Monday night.
Nikola Velickovic is a sports journalist who loves to write and read on all sports. Nikola contributes both news updates and functions as a sports breaking news writer at WagerBop.
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Email: nikola@wagerbop.com
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