Warriors look for another dominating win for Game 2 as Steph and Klay are in top form and Wag has the obvious winning pick
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Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals tips off on Thursday night back at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. The Splash brothers did what they do best in game 1 on Tuesday night, lighting up from beyond the arc to beat the Trail Blazers by 22 points. The Trail Blazers got within 4 points of the Warriors in the 3rd quarter until the Warriors saved the best for last and scored 39 points in the 4th quarter alone. Portland did not tighten up defensively on the guards Steph Curry and Klay Thompson as the Splash Brothers combined for 64 points and a combined shooting of 50% from the three-point line, Steph made 9 from beyond the arc.
Steph is back on the helm of his Warriors team. With the absence of Kevin Durant due to his calf strain from the Conference semi-finals, Steph Curry is reassuring the Warrior nation that they can still be NBA title contenders in the future as long as he runs the show. It’s Steph’s Warriors. The potential departure of Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant speculated a downfall of the Warriors, and Steph laid those speculations to rest. However, the Trail Blazers won’t be panicking as they were destroyed by the Warriors by 28 points when the teams first played each other this season. Steph was injured on that game and did not play, so Klay and Durant stepped up. Klay had 31 points making 4 three-point baskets and shot 57% from the field in that 28 point victory. This could become the start of a pattern to help me predict the remainder of the Conference Finals successfully for you readers, and it showed me that the Trail Blazers improved between the first meeting against the Warriors compared to game 1.
The Trail Blazers technically did a better defensive job Tuesday night compared to their first matchup. The Warriors shot for 56.5% from the field on their first regular season meeting against Portland, compared to shooting for 50% Tuesday night. The Warriors shot 53.1% from beyond the arc in the first meeting, compared to 51.5% Tuesday night. Portland didn’t improve their turnover ratio as they turned the ball over 21 times in game 1, however, they managed to get more aggressive in the paint as Portland shot the ball from the free throw line 31 times making 27 free throws. But their field goal percentage dropped 5% and their three-point field goal percentage also dropped by 12%. It was a very cold night on the Portland side of the court.
Never the less, whether KD comes off the bench on Thursday night or not, the Warriors are going to win Game 2 of this series. Even though the regular season pattern between the Warriors and Trail Blazers had a good start to possibly happening again in the playoffs, this a playoff Warrior team who play a much better Basketball game in the playoff’s than the regular season, and for god sakes, it’s the God Damn Warriors! The oddsmakers are labeling the Warriors as 8 point favorites again for Thursday nights game 2. I let the Houston Rockets series spread record dictate my prediction for game 1, which obviously backfired as the Warriors FINALLY covered their spread Tuesday, so now I’m going to switch sides. I just have to let the past be the past because after all, this a new series. I will be riding the Warriors -8 (+100) spread for Thursday’s game because I don’t think the Trail Blazers could come away with a victory in the Oracle and I don’t think it will be close. The pattern will not replicate itself.
Wag Out!
