For the first three quarters of Game 2 of the NBA Western Semi-Finals, the Portland Trail Blazers did everything they could to defy conventional wisdom. They crashed the boards, made big shots and on defense forced the Golden State Warriors to work for their points, and at the beginning of the fourth quarter the Blazers led 87-76. Then, almost as if they had been toying with the Blazers the whole time, the Warriors put themselves into a different gear and outscored the Blazers 34-12, taking the lead midway through the quarter and winning by almost the same margin as Game 1. The Blazers are to be admired for playing hard and leaving their hearts out on the court, very much unlike the dysfunctional Houston Rockets, but this is the kind of loss that breaks players’ wills to compete. If the Blazers manage to channel the love of their home fans and take even one game of this series, they will deserve commendation. This may seem to be selling the Blazers short, but as Damien Lillard commented after last night’s game, Golden State is a different monster.
– Chuck Strom
