NBA Playoffs 2017: Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers Preview

In the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs, the top-seeded Golden State Warriors will take on the eighth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers.

The Golden State Warriors are in the midst of yet another historic season. They have the best record for any team in NBA history over a three-year span and Kevin Durant is back in the lineup just in time for the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

The Portland Trail Blazers, on the other hand, are in the midst of a disappointing year after last year’s shocking playoff run. However, they turned their season around after trading for Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic revitalized the team before going down with a broken right fibula.

The Warriors won all four of their matchups with Portland this year and won four of five in their playoff battle last season. However, Nurkic was not with the Trail Blazers for any of those games.

While Nurkic might return in time to make this series interesting, the Warriors have the clear upper hand entering the 2017 NBA Playoffs, as they look to end Portland’s season for a second straight year.

Likely Starting Lineups

Point Guard

Stephen Curry (GSW) vs. Damian Lillard (POR)

is once again having an underrated season. Despite averaging 27 points per game with efficient shooting from the field and from deep, he missed out on making the All-Star team once again this season.

However, Lillard’s season might not be as underrated as the one from the man across from him. Stephen Curry is putting up arguably better stats this year than in his first MVP season. He has also been scorching hot after a (relatively) mediocre December.

Lillard might not get enough credit, but he cannot match the game-breaking offensive firepower of the reigning two-time MVP.

Advantage: Golden State Warriors

Shooting Guard

Klay Thompson (GSW) vs. C.J. McCollum (POR)

On the offensive end, C.J. McCollum and Klay Thompson are almost equal. Both are shooting 42 percent from deep and are similar in terms of points per game–23 per game from McCollum, 22.5 per game from Thompson.

McCollum is a slightly better isolation player with a great mid-range game, while Klay is a better off-ball player and spot-up shooter.

However, their defensive games are vastly different. McCollum continues to improve on that end, but he is ultimately an undersized shooting guard who does not have the type of elite level athleticism necessary to compensate.

Thompson is one of the better wing defenders in the league and he will be able to keep McCollum in check on one end while raining in jumpers over him on the other.

Advantage: Golden State Warriors

Small Forward

Maurice Harkless should get credit for his solid season on both ends of the floor. He has improved to an average shooter from beyond the arc at 35 percent.

On the defensive end, he forms a switching duo with Al-Farouq Aminu that bolsters a defense that collapses when either one of them sits.

However, he will be facing a former MVP with the size of a center and one of the best shooting touches in league history. Harkless will certainly give his all, but there might not be all that much that he can do to stop his counterpart.

Advantage: Golden State Warriors

Power Forward

Draymond Green (GSW) vs. Al-Farouq Aminu (POR)

Al-Farouq Aminu is a solid defender who has struggled mightily on offense this season, shooting 39.2 percent from the floor. Draymond Green is only shooting 41.8 percent from the field, but that is by far his biggest weakness.

He is averaging seven assists per game and outrebounds Aminu on a per-game basis. If that were not enough, Green is the leader in the clubhouse for Defensive Player of the Year.

Advantage: Golden State Warriors

Center

Zaza Pachulia (GSW) vs. Jusuf Nurkic/Meyers Leonard (POR)

The center matchup could be a huge advantage for Portland. It could also be another area in which they fall short. All of that will depend entirely on the status of Jusuf Nurkic, who has been a revelation in his short 20-game stint in Portland.

Nurkic has averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks per game since being traded from the Nuggets.

Zaza Pachulia has lost at least a couple of steps since his solid first half of last season in Dallas. However, he is still a canny passer for a big man and can pound the offensive glass when needed. Meyers Leonard has been nothing but a disappointment since he signed his extension last season.

Nurkic appeared to be mostly healthy in a shootaround last week, per Jason Quick. He is set to be re-evaluated before the playoffs, and his health will undoubtedly swing this matchup.

Advantage: To Be Determined

Sixth Man/Bench

Andre Iguodala (GSW) vs. Allen Crabbe (POR)

Andre Iguodala is one of the league’s best bench players. He will be a prime candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, but probably will not win the award due to his relative lack of scoring.

Allen Crabbe has recovered after a slow start to the year and is shooting 44.4 percent from deep on a healthy number of attempts. However, he cannot hold a candle to Iguodala in terms of overall contributions on both ends of the floor.

The Warriors also have Shaun Livingston and David West coming off the bench. The Trail Blazers have Evan Turner. This one is not even close.

Advantage: Golden State Warriors

Coaching

Steve Kerr (GSW) vs. Terry Stotts (POR)

Steve Kerr has been an NBA head coach for three years. The Golden State Warriors in the last three years have put up the best three-year stretch in NBA history. While Terry Stotts is one of the better coaches in the league, he is not on the same level as Steve Kerr.

Advantage: Golden State Warriors

Key Matchup

Stephen Curry (GSW) vs. Damian Lillard (POR)

The key matchup in this game will be between the team’s two star point guards. While the matchup between Klay Thompson and C.J. McCollum will also be a huge factor in this series, both teams will be running their offenses through their lead guards.

Curry and Lillard are both renowned long-range bombers–the two guards consistently lead the league in three-point attempts from 30 or more feet.

While both players are decent playmakers, they are both score-first point guards who can knife their way into the lane and create shots off the dribble.

Neither Curry nor Lillard is an elite level defender. However, Curry is close to average on that end–he has a Defensive RPM of 0.24, and he makes up for his issues with navigating opposing screens by jumping into passing lanes and generating steals and transition opportunities.

Lillard, on the other hand, is a huge minus on the defensive end of the floor.

This matchup will certainly favor Curry. However, the Trail Blazers will need Damian Lillard to outplay Steph if Portland wants to stay competitive in this series.

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Golden State Will Win If…

The NBA does not decide to cancel the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

Portland Will Win If…

Jusuf Nurkic is healthy for the whole series and makes prime Hakeem Olajuwon look like Greg Ostertag, Damian Lillard steals Steph Curry’s powers, and Kevin Durant misses the series when his knee injury worsens after a curse from the ghost of Greg Oden.

Prediction:

Golden State Warriors defeat Portland Trail Blazers 4-0.