Game Thread GAME# 34: WARRIORS @ BLAZERS - MARCH 3, 2021 - WEDNESDAY, 7:00 PM, ESPN & NBCSNW

Blazers get another day off at home. Need a good game on Wednesday. This is a winnable game.

 

One note about this game.
The Warriors last played the Lakers Sunday night and got creamed. They will have two full days rest and are playing the Blazers on the first of a road B2B. They play the Suns on Thursday in Phoenix. You can bet they want to get this win.

 

I wouldn’t consider GSW a legitimate playoff team. Right now, they’re a play-in team and I don’t see that changing esp since we get CJ back and they don’t get Klay back.

 

lets try to hold Curry to less than 40 this time.

 

I would say the current starting lineups are about the same.
The Warriors seem to have the X factor off the bench though with Mulder.

 

This is our last game against GS in the regular season. 1-1 in the season series so far. We gotta get this to get the tiebreaker wrapped up.

It doesn't get mentioned at all in any of our broadcasts or in the mediasphere, but i can't keep stressing how important it is to be in the top 6 in the standings at the end. Cannot afford to get into the play-in if we want to advance in the playoffs. However, wee keep dropping these in-division and in-conference games that can really come back to bite us in the ass. We currently have the worst conference and division records in the top 8, and with how close the west will end up, these are games we might look back on and kick ourselves.

Hope the guys get the impact of this game and the coaches bring it up.

 

I wonder if Terry even thinks about doubling him this time around. God that was one of the most stubborn coaching decisions this season when he kept showing Curry the same defense every possession and got cooked for 60.

 

I am not sure I would double him until the 4th quarter.

 

game will be over long before then if we dont

 

Well, I suppose if he starts to go off then you try something different. (Doubling him) But the flip side is when you double someone 30 feet from the basket you are leaving someone else wide open....and Curry is a good passer out of the trap. And you know he will still draw the fouls even when doubled. (Whether they are legit or not)

Not sure I want other players getting into a rhythm either. I would start off with Jones on him and Covington on Wiggins, Trent on Oubre. This means Dame will have to guard Draymond.

Wiseman will be a problem against the 2nd team center, whoever that is.

 

I'm not sure doubling Curry is the cure here. Due to how well he moves off the ball, doubling could lead to even more communication break downs on the defense. The key is communication however. He's always moving on offense, with and without the ball. Off-ball is where he's so lethal, so it'll be important for Portland to talk on defense and understand their assignments and strategies defending Steph. On-ball, I wouldn't blitz situational blitzes, although please do not utilize this strategy with Kanter! We saw Brad Beal dribble right past Enes when he went out to blitz last week.

Overall, try to force the ball out of his hands and see if their role players can consistently hit from the perimeter. If he is shooting, make sure it's a contested look without fouling. And limit the wide-open looks he gets in transition as well as from defensive breakdown when he's moving off screens.

 

Put Lillard on Curry on defense - that's the way to win it.

 

Have you seen the way Dame has been defending the last ten games or so? We'd get massacred. It's clear Dame is battling a bunch of nagging injuries and is saving his energy for offense. Can't really blame him either. Neil's refusal to sign players even without tax implications is taking a toll on Dame's wear and tear.

 

You forgot the GREEN.

 

I agree Neil should have another PG on the roster in case of an injury to Dame, but I doubt that player would be good enough to help cut down on the minutes that Dame plays. I am told that CJ is a duplication of Dame, I wonder if we are seeing the effects of Dame carrying the load by himself.