Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr used to be a TV broadcaster at TNT, so he's had the luxury of being able to watch elite basketball players play up close and personal for years.

Now that he's the head coach of the Warriors, though, Kerr has to watch star players like Portland Trail Blazers guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum go up against his team instead of being able to just watch as a fan.

The Warriors and Blazers tip off Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday and Kerr admits he'd much rather watch Lillard and McCollum play than have to go up against them.

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This Western Conference Finals is going to be fun. The prime time matchup is going to be Warriors guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson against Lillard and McCollum.

Curry is averaging 24.3 points in the playoffs, while Thompson is putting up 18.3. Lillard is averaging 28.4 points and McCollum is at 25.6. Whichever backcourt tandem plays better in the series will likely advance to the NBA Finals.

The Warriors have been here before. They are playing in their fifth-straight Western Conference Finals. The Blazers, meanwhile, are playing in their first conference finals since 2000.

Portland will look to win Games 1 and 2 since the Warriors will be without their best player, Kevin Durant.