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Looking Ahead To The Golden State Warriors’ First Round Playoff Matchup

By Ti Windisch

Feb 13, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) with the ball against Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic (15) during the second half at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 132-110. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) with the ball against Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic (15) during the second half at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 132-110. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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January 4, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee (24) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers 125-117. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 4, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee (24) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers 125-117. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

On The Other Hand

Nurkic is even stronger than Jokic–and even slower. The Lineup of Death will feast on the Blazers, who are better on defense than the Nuggets, but not by much. Nurkic trying to keep up with Draymond or Iguodala will be difficult, and if he gets switched onto Durant, he’s lost without a map.

That’s if Nurkic plays. If he isn’t healthy by this potential first round matchup, then the Blazers will have to start one of Ed Davis, Meyers Leonard or Noah Vonleh at center, if they want to go small. There are no great options here.

That isn’t the end of Portland’s defensive problems. Lillard and McCollum are dynamos on offense, but they’re not great defenders, to be generous about it. Even if those two were average defenders, which they aren’t, it might not be enough.

There is no better guard tandem in the NBA than Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, who combine for more than 47 points per game while both shooting over eight threes per game and making 40 percent or more of their triples. Both of those players are rolling right now, and barring injuries (and sweat spots) they should only be better in the postseason.

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Aside from stopping them from shooting threes, which not even good defenders can do throughout the course of a game, Lillard and McCollum likely won’t be able to prevent Curry and Thompson from going inside.

Curry is deadly when he gets near the rim, and Thompson is quietly a dangerous weapon when he matches up with a smaller guard. Even Warriors bench players like Shaun Livingston can make the Blazers guards pay for not defending well.

Curry is 6’3″, Thompson is 6’7″ and Livingston is also 6’7″. On the other end, Lillard is 6’3″ and McCollum is 6’4″. The size advantage there is real, and Lillard and McCollum aren’t as good at being dynamic shooting scorers as Curry and Thompson are anyway.

There’s a reason the Warriors are title favorites, and that Denver and Portland are fighting for the worst playoff seed in the West. It would be an upset for either of those teams to make Golden State play more than five games in the first round, much less actually beat the Dubs.

Next: 10 Matchups We Want To See In The 2017 NBA Playoffs

Still, both Portland and Denver have dangerous weapons on the offensive end. Either of them will pose some matchup problems for the Golden State Warriors, but the Warriors will give both of those defenses fits in the first round.

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