OPEN THREAD: Game #36 - Warriors @ Trailblazers

Warriors (W-L): 20-15

Trail Blazers (W-L): 21-13

Time: 7:00pm PST

TV:FSN Bay Area

Radio: KNBR 680

I liked the prospect of facing the Blazers in late November, back when they were 5-12 and looking like a team who was going to play out the season waiting on their franchise center to return. But noooo, they just had to go and win 13 in a row, and 16 of 17. Now they sit atop the Northwest division, 3 games out of the top record in the West, and very much in the thick of the playoff race. From doormat to dominant in a month. WoW! They're trying to take a spot away from us!

This game is like déjà vu. The last time the Warriors played the Blazers in Portland, guess who the Warriors had just defeated? The world champion San Antonio Spurs. Let's hope the result of this game isn't a repeat of what happened last time.

Blaze a path on through the jump (oh that was a good one).

When Brandon Roy is the leading scorer, the Blazers are 13-4.

When Martell Webster is the leading scorer, the Blazers are 4-1.

When LaMarcus Aldridge is the leading scorer, the Blazers are 3-7.

What does that mean? I have no idea, but I'm even more scared of Brandan Roy now. Webster would scare me too but it's too small of a sample size for me to be scared of him too. Anyways, Roy strikes fear in the heart of many opponents now. He's their closer, the guy who takes and makes shots at the end of the shot clock, at the end of quarters, and most importantly takes all the big shots. He makes everyone around him better. And you know what? He might not play, he's questionable tonight after getting injured in the last game.

But it's really not just Roy. It's the entire cast of characters that can beat you. Martell Webster has come along quite nicely this year and been a solid role player thus far. In the last game against the Warriors he got injured and missed the 2nd half so we didn't get to really see what he can do. You also have LaMarcus Aldridge down low who didn't even play in the Blazers 10 point win over the Warriors last game. He's going to be a wee bit of trouble. And then we have to deal with Warrior killer Travis Outlaw.

But the player I'm really scared of? Joel Pryzbilla. He's a monster! Okay, not so much, but he did roll off 15-10 on 6-7 shooting in the last game against the Warriors. That's so Matt Bonner-esque. Here's hoping he repeats what Matt Bonner's 2nd game against the Warriors was like. Shut down their wily vet Pryzbilla and you shut down the Blazers. It's like cutting off the snake's head (I just watched Sahara and that's how they defeated the enemy).

BUT, the Warriors can win in Portland though it will be extremely tough. If they can carry over the momentum from the win over the Spurs with the hot shooting at the end, perhaps they stand a chance. Their defense will have to be top notch with the stupid fouls being nonexistent. Offensively, the team needs to be patient. In the last game, the Blazers let the Warriors shoot outside all they wanted and the Warriors shot themselves into a hole. They'll need to create for each other and take shots within the flow of the offense to be effective tonight. It'll be a tough game but they can definitely win this.

Go Warriors!

Predictions

• Warriors win by 7
• Baron plays under 46 minutes
• Jax has double digit three point attempts
• Aldridge has a big game with something close to 25-13
• It rains more in Oakland than in Portland