NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 things we learned from Warriors beating Trail Blazers
By Dre Elder
3. Warriors flip the switch like nobody’s business
Prior to the series, the feeling was Portland probably needed to score 125 or more points per game to be competitive. This was a testament to how explosive Golden State was, as they put up historic offensive numbers during the regular season. The Warriors averaged 115.9 points per game on 49.5 percent shooting from the field to lead the league in both categories. They also handed out 30.4 assists per game which also ranked tops in the NBA. Conversely, the Trail Blazers’ defensive rating fell in the bottom-third of the league.
Basically, the writing was on the wall and Portland was caught in the eye of the storm. It was often a game of blistering runs. The Warriors unleashed a barrage of blows in key stretches of games to dismantle the Trail Blazers. In Game 1, Golden State opened the fourth quarter on a 15-2 run to put the game away. They outscored Portland by 16 points in both the first and third quarters to secure the win. And in Game 3, the Warriors used a 19-1 run in the second half to overcome a 16-point deficit.
The first quarter of Game 4 was truly something special to behold regardless of rooting interests. With Kevin Durant back in the lineup, the Warriors seemed motivated to restrict the Trail Blazers’ air supply. The defending Western Conference champs led 45-22 after the opening quarter. They splashed eight 3-pointers before some fans at Moda Center could get settled into their seats.
Again, they were not at full strength in this series. Until last night, the Splash Brothers weren’t exactly lighting it up either. Still, the Warriors were never really challenged. They clamped down on defense when they had to which sparked easy transition buckets. And when it all came together last night, they were an EF5 tornado. Throughout this series, the Warriors proved they can flip the switch on either end of the floor at any time.