Golden State Warriors: 5 Takeaways From Game 2 vs. Blazers

3. Lillard Can Be A Problem

Quick qualifier: Damian Lillard has not been very good in the 2016 NBA Playoffs. He’s shooting 36.6 percent from the field in the postseason, he’s posted a -5.1 plus/minus and he’s coming off a Game 1 performance in which he was dominated by Klay Thompson, amassing 30 points that came on an inefficient 8-of-26 shooting line.

In Game 2, Dame still wasn’t particularly great, finishing with 25 points on 8-of-20 shooting. But in the third quarter, Lillard provided a scary glimpse at how fast a playoff game can swing when he starts heating up.

Golden State’s defense clamped down when it needed to, but in truth, the defense was still there in the third as well. Dame was just out of his mind, hitting every shot that came his way when he freed up even an inch of space.

Though the Blazers only outscored Golden State by three points in the third quarter, Lillard’s 17-point firestorm helped them extend their lead to 11 points heading into the fourth. Against a more normal, mortal team, that might have been enough — especially if Dame had been able to put up more than a goose egg in the final period.

The Blazers wound up losing the game and Lillard came plummeting back down to earth after giving his team a sustainable lead, but the fact remains: With the series heading back to Rip City, where the Warriors suffered their worst loss of the season with Steph Curry on the floor, preventing Dame from finding a rhythm should be a top priority.

Next: No. 2