The Portland Trail Blazers held a lead for the majority of crunch-time in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, and, despite a final blow-out result, were well within striking distance of the Golden State Warriors entering the fourth quarter of Game 1. Yes, the heavily-favored Warriors currently lead the Blazers 2-0, but that hardly means this series is over – and Terry Stotts knows it.
On Saturday, the Trail Blazers' coach matter-of-factly denied that there was any chance his team wouldn't come out ready to play in Game 3 at Moda Center.
“I don't think we'll have a let down by any means,” Stotts said, per 95.7 The Game. “I think it was encouraging after our poor offensive game in Game 1. To bounce back with some good offense for the majority of the game in Game 2 was encouraging. From a defensive standpoint, even though we made changes they still scored. They have great offensive players who make great reads. The most encouraging thing was our offense, but to answer your question, there's not gonna be a let down.”
Indeed, Portland was far more competitive on Thursday night than it was in Game 1, mostly due to adjustments made on the offensive side of the ball. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum were far more comfortable navigating Golden State's ultra-aggressive defense on the perimeter, finding seams for outlet passes in a maze of arms and all-around activity that allowed their less-heralded teammates to make a much bigger impact offensively.
Even without Kevin Durant, there are only so many answers to keep the Warriors in check on the other end – especially for a team with the Blazers' limited defensive personnel. If playing on the road leads Steph Curry or Klay Thompson to go somewhat cold, though, don't be surprised if Portland takes Game 3, suddenly making the Western Conference Finals far more interesting.
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