The Warriors take game 1 led behind Curry’s 36 points!
By Justin Batiste
Tonight, was game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. From start to finish the Warriors controlled this game. Offensively and defensively. The Warriors did an efficient job of containing C.J McCollum and Damian Lillard throughout this game. The Warriors were able to hold the two guards to under 20 points. The Warriors didn’t give Lillard and McCollum any space to operate with in this game.
Every time the two guards penetrated there were Warriors defenders. Every time the two dribbled off a ball screen there were two defenders on them forcing them to give up the ball. The Warriors forced the other players to beat them and their strategy worked along with great three-point shooting from Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Turnovers were also a problem for the Blazers in this game. The Trail Blazers finished the game with 21 turnovers. Defense and turnovers impaired this Blazers team tonight.
Warriors guard, Stephen Curry was the high scorer tonight with 36 points. 27 of those points coming off three point makes. Curry took what the defense gave him and that was the three-point shot for most of the game. This entire Warriors team played with good pace on offense, but it was Curry that ignited this team with his lethal three-point shooting.
Curry took advantage of how the Blazers big men were guarding him in pick-and-roll situations. For most of the game when Curry came off ball screens the Blazers big men backed up, which gave Curry enough space to get off his shot and he continued to knock them down. Curry and Thompson were given more than enough space to shoot in this game and they took advantage of it. Both players finished the game with over 25 points.
Although Curry and Thompson went off tonight and Lillard and McCollum were not scoring the ball, the Blazers were still in this game for most of the night. Next game it’s going to be interesting to see how the Blazers defend pick-in-roll actions, and we should expect to see big games from McCollum and Lillard after tonight’s performance from the two.
