The Blazers-Warriors series features lots of interesting positional battles. Of course, the most intriguing one between Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry will have to wait for a little while. But right now, we simply don’t know Curry’s status. In this analysis of the match-ups, we are assuming that Curry is not playing. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters Saturday that he thought it was unlikely Curry returned by Game 2.
Point guard
The Warriors don’t have Curry. Shaun Livingston’s unorthodox back-to-the basket game will cause problems for the Blazers defense, as will his length for the Blazers offense. But Lillard’s shooting threat off the dribble is now the biggest offensive weapon in this series. The Warriors have a bunch of athletic guards they can throw at Lillard like Ian Clark and I’m sure Klay Thompson will get a shot at guarding him, too. Until Curry returns, or if he is limited in his return, Lillard will have the advantage. Not to mention that CJ McCollum’s match-up against the Warriors bench just got a little easier.
Advantage: Blazers
Shooting guard
This is tough. Klay Thompson has now probably become underrated after the 73-win season saw the star of Draymond Green burn a little bit brighter. Still, Thompson is the second-best 3-point shooter in the league and he’s developed all other parts of his game. He uses his size to punish smaller defenders and has gotten better as a ball-handler. McCollum just won NBA Most Improved Player and is a problem with his ability to create for himself and others. This is a close match-up but Thompson’s high release and defensive skill give the Warriors the edge. Allen Crabbe has got to be playing his game if the Blazers want a chance at keeping the match-up on the wings close.
Advantage: Warriors
Small forward
This is a tricky one. Maurice Harkless has gotten better on a nightly basis and jumped on a major size advantage in the Clippers series. No such match-up will happen against the Warriors or his match-up against Harrison Barnes. At least, it won’t be quite as easy as it was to get offensive rebounds as it was against Jamal Crawford and JJ Redick. Gerald Henderson brings a veteran presence, tough defense, offensive rebounding and the occasional hot shooting night. Andre Iguodala was last year’s Finals MVP.
Advantage: Warriors
Power forward
I said while doing the match-up for the last series that positional definitions would be fluid and that’s even more true in this match-up. The power forward position represents the broad positional shift in basketball and we see two new-age power forwards in Draymond Green and Al-Farouq Aminu, who will also both play some center. It was something we saw during the regular season and even if the Warriors decide to stay big, Aminu and Harkless are both the types of athletes who can stay with the Warriors. Green likely played his way into the NBA’s top-ten this season thanks to his two-way greatness as a defensive anchor who can guard every position and an invaluable playmaker. Green has also developed a deadly 3-point shot if you let him have it and he’s the vocal, emotional leader of the team. This is probably Golden State’s biggest advantage but youth, athleticism and opportunity is never a bad combination to depend on.
Advantage: Warriors
Center
If Mason Plumlee is the Mason Plumlee of the last five games then the Blazers have got to be feeling good. Plumlee is just a younger, sometimes more erratic version of Andrew Bogut. Bogut is a little dirtier, smarter and limited by his athleticism but Plumlee has been playing like a star. Both are excellent passers but the athleticism at this stage in their careers clearly favors Plumlee. Ed Davis will get a lot of run at center in this series and perhaps also Noah Vonleh. Festus Ezeli was a big loss during the regular season and can provide problems with his athleticism at the rim. But if Ed Davis plays like he did in the regular season, this is a pretty even match-up. But since Green will play some center, I’m giving tho to the Warriors as well.
Advantage: Warriors
Coach
Here we have a match-up of the Coach of the Year winner and the runner-up. Steve Kerr’s teams have won 140 games over the last two seasons. That means they are averaging 70 wins a season! Stotts is a smart tactician and Kerr’s arrival helped spark the Warriors’ run of dominance. This battle of the benches will be a beautiful one for all the basketball nerds out there who love rotations, end of quarter substitutions and after time-out set plays.
Advantage: Warriors
Series pick
I don’t know what to expect without Curry and trying to see who the Warriors were in the first round was nearly impossible against a broken Houston team. The Warriors have the advantages at almost every position, but the Blazers have athleticism and the highest-scoring duo in the series. Portland are the heavy underdogs, but they are primed to give the mighty Warriors their first real postseason test of their historic run.
WARRIORS IN SIX
