The Portland Trail Blazers have one mission in Game 3: avoid doing down 0-3 against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.
Head coach Terry Stotts emphasized that during his pre-game media availability, citing that they need to play with more urgency because going down to a three-to-nothing deficit doesn't bode well for them.
Terry Stotts: “The urgency tonight is pretty obvious. You don’t want to go down 0-3, that doesn’t bode well.” #Warriors pic.twitter.com/Vd4OdYsk3w
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) May 18, 2019
The Blazers have been impressive in the playoffs, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets in the first two rounds. However, it seems like they hit a brick wall when they faced the Warriors, getting blown out in the series opener before losing a 114-111 nail-biter in Game 2.
No team has ever been able to come back from a 0-3 deficit in the playoffs, and the Blazers would definitely want to avoid losing a third straight game to the Warriors. After all, Kevin Durant hasn't even played yet for the Dubs as he continues to nurse a left calf injury.
Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum produced their usual numbers in Game 2 (23 and 22 points respectively), but they were unable to protect their lead in the fourth quarter. The Warriors took advantage of their sloppy play in the final six minutes of the game to steal the victory.
In order to have a better chance of winning Game 3, the Blazers will need to find a way to stop two-time MVP Stephen Curry who has been torching them on the offensive end. Curry has scored 30-plus points in the first two games, so preventing him from reaching that mark should be Portland's top priority.
The Blazers have been eliminated by the Warriors in two of their last three playoff runs, and they would definitely aim to avoid another setback at the hands of the reigning NBA champions.
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