The top-seeded Golden State Warriors and third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers disposed of the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets in six and seven games, respectively. The two teams will meet for a third time in four years. Golden State beat Portland in a 2017 first-round sweep and a 2016 second-round, five-game set. How they got here Golden State: In their quest for a third straight title and fourth in five years, the Warriors lost DeMarcus Cousins to a torn left quad in Game 2 of the first round and Kevin Durant to a right calf strain in Game 5 of the second round. Yet, here we are, with Golden State installed as heavy favorites to beat Portland and become the first team since the Boston Celtics of the 1950s and ‘60s to reach five straight Finals. Cousins, somehow, is “on course” to return during the Western Conference finals, and Durant is scheduled to be re-evaluated this week, when we should know if and when he can play in this series. So, after all the hullabaloo over Durant’s impending free agency and Cousins’ decision to join a team already stacked with four All-Star starters, we are likely left with the Warriors of old for at least the start of this series. Are they still good enough with merely three All-NBA talents? They looked the part on Friday, when Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 60 points in a close-out win in Houston. The “Strength in Numbers” Warriors were back, with Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and a cast of late draft picks filling roles around Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green. Andrew Bogut was there, too. There is still some suspense, and that is a good thing. Curry and Thompson both battled cold streaks through two rounds, and Golden State’s depth remains a question, even as 35-year-old Iguodala turns back the clock and backup center Kevon Looney emerges as a real threat. There are concerns about Bogut, Quinn Cook, Alfonzo McKinnie and Jordan Bell, all of whom were called upon in Houston, and Livingston had been largely ineffective until Game 6. If you’re calling for more frontcourt minutes from Jonas Jerebko, you know you’re not completely at ease. Story continues If Durant returns by the time this series moves to Portland and is any semblance of himself, that’s a different story. Even as the Warriors went longer than expected in their first-round series with the Los Angeles Clippers and were deadlocked entering Game 5 against the Rockets, the outcomes never really felt in doubt, because Durant was the best player in all the playoffs and nobody had an answer for him. Stephen Curry has historically been a step ahead of Damian Lillard in the NBA's point guard hierarchy. (Getty Images) Portland: How the Blazers got here is a hero’s journey. They were swept from the first round by the New Orleans Pelicans in last year’s playoffs, and the NBA intelligentsia largely left them for dead. But Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum apparently do not die. They somehow never stop coming back stronger and better. Lillard took out the Oklahoma City Thunder in Round 1 with one of the greatest close-out game performances in NBA history, and McCollum ousted the Denver Nuggets in Round 2 with an almost equally dramatic Game 7 performance. Both were marked by signature moments — Dame’s 37-foot game-winner and CJ’s late chase-down block — that finally pounded into our brains: Yes, you can win with two 6-foot-3 playmaking guards leading the way, or at least with these two. The Blazers were written off once center Jusuf Nurkic snapped his leg in two at the end of March, but the resilience of Enes Kanter and emergence of Zach Collins helped Portland answer some questions about whether they can win without him. That they have done so despite more inconsistent play from stalwart swingmen Al-Farouq Aminu and Mo Harkless is further testament to Lillard and McCollum. Portland’s backcourt is averaging 54 points on 44/39/80 shooting splits, along with 10.6 rebounds and 9.4 assists per game in the playoffs. You don’t need much help when they’re giving you that kind of production, and they’ve gotten more than they bargained for from midseason additions Kanter and Rodney Hood (who enter this series battling shoulder and knee injuries suffered against Denver, respectively). Mostly, though, Portland has gotten through by playing smart and hard and together. They rarely give away extra possessions and work to get more, playing with the import of a team marked by stability and a sense that everyone knows his place in the hierarchy. Whether that matters against a team that has proven time and again to be more talented, with or without Durant, we are about to find out. Head to head Since we aren’t clear whether Durant will be available and for how long, since Nurkic was really good against the Warriors, and since neither Curry nor Green played in a game Golden State won by 28, it’s hard to draw many conclusions about the first season series split of the Steve Kerr era between the two teams. Yet, it does feel like there is something to the Blazers winning in Oracle Arena for the first time since November 2013 — on another Lillard game-winner with 6.3 seconds left, no less — and then blowing the Warriors out at home in their most recent meeting. Both of those games featured the full Cousins-less contingent of Golden State stars, with Looney playing center, and that has to give Portland even more confidence than they already exude, especially if Durant remains sidelined. Durant was remarkable — and remarkably consistent — against the Blazers, averaging 28.8 points (on 57.5/41.2/76.2 shooting splits), 6.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and three combined blocks and steals over the four meetings. Likewise, Nurkic was really impressive against the Warriors this year, averaging 20.3 points, 10 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the four games. Both of their absences impact the apexes of the two teams in different ways, but neither is unaccustomed to playing without them. McCollum was fairly inefficient in all four games against Golden State during the regular season, averaging 18 points on 18 shots and shooting a combined 11 of 40 (3 for 18 from 3-point range) when guarded by Curry, Thompson or Iguodala. Lillard wasn’t so efficient, either — until he hit the game-winner in their second meeting, and then he finished with 69 points on 23-of-38 shooting (12 of 21 from 3-point range) and 13 assists over the final two meetings. They both need to be great to win this series. Curry and Thompson were themselves against the Blazers, save for a 2-for-16 stinker from Klay in the blowout loss on Feb. 13. Green is a wildcard, as always. He was mostly ordinary against the Blazers during the regular season, as he was against everyone, but he has been great in the playoffs. His ability to make shots and then hold up against Kanter’s relentless offensive rebounding will go a long way in determining how often Golden State can play its vaunted small-ball lineups. Likely starting lineups With Durant out for Game 1 and unlikely for Game 2, the Warriors will likely stick with the same starting lineup that finished the Houston series: Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Green and Bogut. Durant and Cousins will probably supplant Iguodala and Bogut if they return, although Kerr may also consider starting Looney at center. Golden State’s best non-Durant lineups in the playoffs have both featured Looney. And while even the lineup of Curry, Thompson, Durant and Green with Looney finished a net negative against Portland during the regular season, that was before Nurkic went down. It will be interesting to see if Kanter can make Looney pay in the same way, or if Looney’s athleticism can help the Warriors run Kanter off the floor. Otherwise, how much Bogut do we see in this series? Can he match Kanter’s effort at age 34? Or is Green their best option against stronger centers? Will the Blazers counter with Collins and open themselves up to Golden State’s more versatile lineups? The return of Cousins could throw another wrench into this mix. How Kerr and Portland coach Terry Stotts manage the matchups at center will be one of the few variables to watch, because there aren’t many adjustments in the backcourt, where Curry, Thompson, Lillard and McCollum will throw haymakers at each other. The Blazers have stuck with the same starting lineup throughout the playoffs: Lillard, McCollum, Harkless, Aminu and Kanter. That group did not face Golden State together this season, since Portland signed Kanter on the day of their last meeting. They are also a minus-39 in 226 minutes as a unit in 12 playoff games. All three of Portland’s most-used playoff lineups have been outscored. They have found success with Hood (who is day-to-day with a hyperextended left knee) and Collins. Evan Turner and Seth Curry have had nice stretches, too. Regardless of the machinations around Lillard and McCollum, though, the fact of the matter is that the Blazers are plus-29 with them on the court together in the playoffs. Unfortunately, those two were also a minus-24 together against the Warriors in the regular season. Kevin Durant has been ruled out for Game 1 and unlikely for Game 2. (Getty Images) Matchups to watch Lillard vs. Curry: There will be some cross-switching going on here. Lillard will defend Curry, but the Warriors usually throw Thompson on Lillard and leave Steph to chase McCollum. But that’s neither here nor there. Given their size and scoring ability, Lillard and Curry are the two most electrifying players on the planet. They can ignite their respective home crowds like nobody else, and it will be a delight to watch them try to torch each other on this stage. For the record, Curry scored 38 points on 26 shots in 97 possessions over three games with Lillard as his primary defender this season. Lillard scored 26 points on 27 shots in 138 possessions opposite Thompson (and 12 points on five shots in 12 possessions against Curry). McCollum vs. Jennifer: When Durant joined McCollum’s podcast this past summer, they had a debate about Cousins joining the Warriors. KD told McCollum, “You know you guys aren’t going to win a championship,” adding that the Blazers guard was crazy to think making playoffs made him a winner. McCollum took issue and later called Durant’s and Cousins’ ring-chasing “disgusting.” A Twitter user responded, “Win a playoff game then talk,” to which McCollum now famously said, “I’m trying Jennifer.” This has become a rallying cry for him during a spectacular playoff run, and now he and his Blazers have their shot to prove Durant wrong. Green vs. Portland’s bigs: The Warriors were plus-23 in 107 minutes against the Blazers with Green on the court and minus-8 in 90 minutes without him. They were minus-17 in 98 minutes with Looney on the floor against Portland and plus-32 in 99 minutes without him. Given Cousins’ absence and Bogut’s age, Green could draw a heavier load at the center position, where he held Kanter and Collins to a combined four points on 14 shots over 61 possessions in one-on-one matchups this season. The death lineup — with Green manning the middle — has long been Golden State’s greatest weapon, but can it still be without Durant helping to protect the rim? Green is a weapon the Blazers can’t really match, but he has to be sharp. How Golden State can win There are many ways the Warriors can win. If Durant ever returns healthy, I think he’s right: The Blazers have no chance. Even without KD, if Curry and Thompson outscore Lillard and McCollum, Golden State is in great shape. In the first two years of the Kerr era, the Warriors were 11-2 against the Blazers without Durant, including 4-1 in the playoffs. Entering this season, they were 10-1 (4-0 in the playoffs) against Portland after acquiring KD. Despite the split series during this regular season, it’s hard to ignore that track record, no matter how much the improvement of Portland’s backcourt and the age of Golden State’s supporting cast has closed the gap. How Portland can win Lillard and McCollum get hot. Curry and Thompson go cold.<doc-sep>The Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors clash in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night. Tuesday, May 14 at 9:00 PM ET ORACLE Arena Coverage: ESPN *All odds and betting info courtesy of OddsShark and originally posted by Bookmaker Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors (-7.5 at -110) Over/Under: 219 at -110 CJ McCollum and Stephen Curry on Fire Ahead of This Series CJ dropped 37 PTS and took over late to lead the @trailblazers to the WCF ?#RipCity pic.twitter.com/BI6HyACGI9 — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 12, 2019 The Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets 100-96 in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals last Sunday behind a game-high 37 points from CJ McCollum. Evan Turner put up 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench and Damian Lillard had 13 points despite shooting just 3-for-17 from the field and he also added 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Sports analytics and strategy site Positive Residual broke down McCollum’s electrifying performance, explaining that he had a 29 percent usage and 30 true shot attempts, including 4-for-4 around the left elbow, where he drained the game clincher. Only two of McCollum’s 17 made field goals were assisted. He finished without a turnover and had a memorable chasedown. Evan Turner came through when the Blazers needed him to ? pic.twitter.com/YP5854fAxH — NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 12, 2019 Rodney Hood left the game in the third quarter due to a hyperextended left knee and an MRI revealed that he has a left knee bone bruise. Hood is questionable for tomorrow’s game the Warriors. It was next man up for the Trail Blazers and Evan Turner embraced the opportunity, scoring 14 points in 19 minutes after having just four points in the first six games of the series and just three points in the five games against the Thunder. Portland controlled the pace for most of the game and slowing things down helped them clamp Denver down in the half court. The Trail Blazers are most comfortable at a slower pace and they have to force the Warriors to play at their rhythm. Stephen Curry's UNBELIEVABLE Game 6 Performance | May 10, 2019Behind 33 points (playoff career quarter-high 23 in the 4th quarter), 5 rebounds and 4 assists from Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets, 118-113, to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the 5th consecutive season, where they will face the winner of the Portland Trail Blazers-Denver Nuggets series. Which players… 2019-05-11T04:18:56.000Z The Warriors beat the Rockets 118-113 on the road in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals last Friday behind another brilliant shooting night from Klay Thompson and an epic second half from Stephen Curry. After being scoreless in the first half, Curry finished with 33 points on 35 percent usage and 25 true shot attempts, including 3-for-4 at the rim, 4-for-11 from 3-point range and 11-for-11 at the free-throw line. The star guard also had four assists (all in high-value zones) against three turnovers (only one live-ball). Kevin Durant will be out for at least the first two games of the series but the Warriors proved they can still beat anyone, anywhere. If KD comes back during the Western Conference Finals, playing close to the level he had before he got injured then the Warriors would be almost unstoppable, so the Trail Blazers have to take advantage of his absence and at least steal one game on the road. Trail Blazers vs. Warriors Trends and Prediction The Portland Trail Blazers are: 6-2 ATS in their last eight games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game 27-12 ATS in their last 39 games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings The Golden State Warriors are: 2-7 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up win 1-4 ATS in their last five games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game 1-4 ATS in their last five home games 1-4 ATS in their last five games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game 1-4 ATS in their last five home games against a team with a winning road record 0-6 ATS in their last six games following an ATS win VideoVideo related to trail blazers vs. warriors game 1 prediction: betting odds, line & pick 2019-05-13T16:36:09-04:00 Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks asked Damian Lillard about facing the Warriors on his episode of Take it There and he said: “Sometimes people fear them, and when they sense that little bit of fear, you’re done.” Lillard is the heart and soul of the Trail Blazers and he will make sure his teammates play with that fearless mentality in what will be a great series. Pick: Trail Blazers +7.5 READ NEXT: Is James Harden the 2019 NBA MVP over Giannis Antetokounmpo?<doc-sep>
CJ McCollum walked through the hallways near the locker rooms at Staples Center, unbothered by a question that had tripped up his peers in the NBA all season. Best game ever? Without a blink, McCollum told the story of a win in the Patriot League tournament final his junior season, a 29-point game for Lehigh that set the stage for his breakout performance against Duke in the NCAA tournament. The moment wasn’t what he remembered first. It was the moment before the moment. In Game 7 on Sunday afternoon in Denver, McCollum was a star for the Portland Trail Blazers, slicing apart the Nuggets with a bag full of midrange jumpers, floaters, layups and threes. He had a memorable chase-down block. And, with the game on the line, he swished a jumper that capped a stretch of six straight Trail Blazers points during crunch time He finished with 37 points, the most ever for a Portland player in a Game 7. “I thought I played a pretty solid game,” he said afterward. “… I wanted to empty the clip tonight, and I thought I did that.” But maybe it wasn’t the moment. Maybe Game 7, like that win over Bucknell seven years ago, was just the moment before the moment. Tuesday night, the Trail Blazers will unexpectedly crash the Western Conference finals, meeting the Warriors in Oakland in an attempt to get in the way of a fifth straight NBA Finals appearance for Golden State. It’ll be Portland’s first trip this deep into the postseason since 2000. And the Trail Blazers aren’t going into the series empty-handed. Enes Kanter, who was given away by the New York Knicks this season, has been more than adequate in replacing Jusuf Nurkic, who suffered a season-ending leg injury late in the season. Portland’s supporting cast, an emerging Zach Collins, streaky wings Rodney Hood and Evan Turner and versatile veterans Maurice Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu have all, at one point or another, tipped games in the Trail Blazers’ favor. And then there’s Damian Lillard, probably the only player who wears a letter, not a number, on his jersey. (His “0” is for the “O” in Oakland). There’d be plenty of poetry in Lillard canning jumper after jumper after growing up just outside the shadow of Oracle Arena. He and McCollum are dynamic enough to be a problem for anyone. But it still might not matter. Even with Kevin Durant missing time in the series — he won’t play in Game 1 with a calf injury and will almost certainly miss more than that — the Warriors are still the Warriors. Their championship spirit and experience, plus a full dose of Stephen Curry magic, dispatched the Houston Rockets in Game 6. Center DeMarcus Cousins could return at some point this series, a boost for a team that’s struggled with depth at times. But the story for the Warriors is the players who are still on the court — the ones who were there when their dynasty began. It starts with Curry, who responded to criticism aimed his way with a couple of big games before exploding in the second half in the elimination game at Houston. He’s not the best Warriors player — that’s Durant — but he’s probably the team’s most important. A defensive trio like Klay Thompson, who will be chasing Lillard and McCollum around all series, Andre Iguodala, who might get the other Portland guard, and a rejuvenated Draymond Green, has been so crucial all playoffs long. (Green has been especially terrific in this postseason. His worst plus/minus for a game is a minus-three, and his worst against the Rockets was minus-one). When the Warriors are at their best, it’s because they’re stifling offenses, not because they’re out-gunning them. The made shots at the biggest moments matter — but coaches who have faced the Warriors in high-profile situations know it’s their defense that matters most. And with that in mind, Durant’s absence will really be felt. It forces the Warriors into lineups with less defensive versatility, with less defensive skill. And it might just give the Trail Blazers a chance that few believed they’d ever get again. Sign up for our daily sports newsletter » Portland has handled doubts just fine this season. The Trail Blazers were a favorite to get bounced out of the playoffs after last season ended with an embarrassing first-round sweep.