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Welcome Warrior Fans! Golden State rolled into Game 2 of this 2nd Round series against the Blazers at Oracle on Tuesday night looking for a second home win to take the series to 2-0.
As we watched Game #2 along with the GSOM community, we ran a running diary of the action, a tough thing to do as Warriors playoff games are anything but boring.
Pregame
- Oracle looks rocking as usual. Love the orange shirts, even as they cover up the dress shirts of Silicon Valley executives. The crowd has been hot, even as the playoffs outprice the common fan.
- Your usual starters for the Warriors sans Curry, and Portland features their normal five. It's Dame Lillard vs the World for Portland, though the 2nd unit did the dominating in Game #1 for Portland.
First Quarter
- 12:00 The game kicks off from TBS instead of TNT because Kyle Lowry closed his eyes and hit a half court shot up in Toronto. The Raptors now properly blowing it in OT...
- 10:57 Klay trades a three with Aminu - just the duel of shooters that the NBA deserves. Amin trades horrible looking chucks with competent shots. I'd still let him shoot all night long...
- 8:57 Both offenses looking slow to start... Warriors looking hesitant missing bunnies. Portland breaks out on first run of game up 10-3. Can't have Portland feeling like they can win this game early. We also get the first Steph update of the night: He's coming along!
- 7:01 Too many offensive boards... too many missed shots. Warriors down 17-5 as McCollum hits the three. Iggy gets inserted to solidify the lineup. Golden State basically Klay or nothing.
- 4:05 Plumlee gets Bogut back for the game one block with the stuff on the pick and roll. Draymond trying to keep the Warriors in it, but Portland still streaking up 24-13. Worse quarter of for Golden State in the playoffs so far.
- 00:00 Aminu looking like a world beater on the dunk and big scream. Portland can't be stopped 34-21
Second Quarter
- 12:00 "If you don't know his name, you know it now. Al-Farouq Aminu". Sure announcers... That first quarter was not optimal, and the Blazers with all the confidence. New goal - single digits at the half.
- 11:23 Your choices to change the offensive flow: Mo Buckets, Ian Clark. Kerr going with the deep playoff rotation still. Ed Davis still causing havoc all series long for Portland in the paint, now up 37-24 after a Mo airball.
- 8:34 Nothing falling for the Warriors tonight as Mo misses another jumper and McCollum dominating from midrange. Add a stiff offensive foul for Mr. Buckets and his Game Two has been forgettable. Now 42-28 after a bad call on Clark on an Alan Crabbe jumper. TNT starting to show statistics on 5 seeds beating 1 seeds...
- 7:45 Portland seems happy with Mo shooting jumpers all night. WIDE open miss after miss. Time for him to sit... A version of the death lineup hits the floor with Clark playing the Curry role. 45-31 Blazers after a big Barnes dunk and a time out by Portland to get Dame back in the game.
Harrison Barnes baseline drive dunk and the staredown. https://t.co/PUBJH6XuGS
— RealGM (@RealGM) May 4, 2016
- 6:14 It's Hack-a-Davis. Nothing kills momentum worse than free throws. Not a fan of the move by Kerr here. 46-33 Blazers.
- 4:27 Michael Jordan Aminu comes back in the game and Klay keeps clanking jumpers. Single digits would feel like a huge victory. 9-2 run takes it to 47-37 and gets the crowd back in as Ian Clark is out there proving he can finish at the rim. Have the Warriors weathered the storm?
- 3:12 The run pushes to 14-2 after the big Barnes three on the turnover. Portland misses 8 straight shots before Mason Plumlee free throws. Iggy with the great finish to make it 49-44.
- 2:42 The Warriors are relentless. Pushing rebounds, the jumpers are falling. This is officially a game. 49-46 after Livingston finds his midrange. Small ball was the key.
- 2:00 Two straight threes for Portland... and the run is over at 57-46. Klay misses his fourth straight three and nobody else can hit an outside jumper for the Warriors.
- 0:00 An And-One by Draymond on the Lillard post up is huge. It cuts the lead to 59-51 at the half, and gives the momentum to the champs.
Third Quarter
- 12:00 It's the starters with Bogut to start the half. Will the traditional lineup keep leading to open jumpers for the Blazers?
- 9:49 Huge sequence - missed Klay three, big rebound by Bogut, reload and three to cut it to three at 59-56.
- 6:20 Turnaround by Livingston cuts it back to 63-60 before Lillard hits the three. Trading buckets to 68-62, but Portland keeps turning the ball over.
- 5:53 Bogut gets Plumlee back for the earlier stuff with the big block, and we are finally playing Warriors basketball. Great drive by Draymond to get his offensive game back to cut it to four.
- 5:17 Two straight jumpers by the Blazers in between a Klay missed three (a theme for the night) and Portland is back up eight.
- 3:16 Another questionable Kerr call - bringing Ezeli in the game who still can't hold the ball on offense. Leads to turnovers and Blazers run. Portland back up 76-69. Kerr is waiting to go small ball to end this game, and if he can keep it closer than single digits, Warriors might be able to catch.
- 1:47 Lillard and Klay trade crazy jumpers, and thats followed by Thompson missing a jumper on the drive. He has no touch right now.
- 0:37 Henderson hits the three for Portland, and the Warriors aren't getting any calls. Momentum finely in the hands of the Blazers. Thompson gets two free throws to bring it to 84-76. Can the Warriors keep it here to end the quarter?
- 0:00 Nope... Lillard with the big three to end the quarter to bring his number to 17 for the third. All Dame, no Warriors. 87-76.
Fourth Quarter
- 12:00 Do or die time... the Warriors lose if they keep settling for threes to try to catch up. Portland will eventually start missing... or will they?
- 10:10 Two buckets by Ezeli, including one off an ally-oop and Golden State is grinding back. Big minutes by the big man. Time out Portland as Stotts realize this game is made or lost right now. 87-82 Portland.
- 7:54 Teams trade baskets, Draymond hits two from the line to bring it to 91-86. The starters are back in and here we go. Iggy free throws get it to 91-88, and with a turnover the Warriors can break the seal.
- 6:43 KLAY FROM THE CORNER!! WE ARE TIED! THE COMEBACK IS COMPLETE! 8 turnovers in the 2nd half for Portland, and it looks like their shooting can't bail out their poor decision making. Time out Blazers.
- 4:06 Warriors take first lead on Klay three, then again on Livingston hook shot. Teams trade baskets surrounding Portland turnovers. 96-95 Warriors. Golden State has outscored Portland 20-8 to this point.
- 3:11 Draymond dunk on an out of bounds play and thats your game highlight. Portland has no answer, and calls timeout after a Livingston turnaround. SDot more animated than I've seen him in two years 102-95 Warriors.
- 1:47 Warriors cruising, and defense has smothered Dame. Curry gets the chest bump on the sidelines and is reminded this team has his back until he is ready. Two Klay free throws gets it to 104-95 and the Warriors might still cover.
- 0:54 Iggy's put back dunk and this thing is over. What a come back, what a performance, what a team. 108-97 with the timeout by Portland.
- 0:00 Draymond's dunk puts the punctuation. This game is owed to Festus Ezeli and the Warrior's 4th Quarter defense. The stories after this one will be how Portland made too many mistakes and might just not be ready for primetime. They put their best chance in to win, and now Curry might be back. Warriors looking like world beaters. We will see everyone on Saturday, where we hope the game won't be as dramatic as this one!