The Warriors host the Portland Trail Blazers for the second game of a back-to-back in a Sunday evening showdown.
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TAKE 2
After hosting the Trail Blazers on New Years Night in a 123-98 loss, the Warriors will play this same Portland squad at Chase Center again two days later on Sunday. This unique situation with conference rivals playing consecutive games against each other is one of the quirks of the 2020-21 shortened schedule, and it will happen again next week when the Dubs host the Clippers.
LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors dropped the first game of the two-game series against the Trail Blazers 123-98 as they were unable to cool off the hot-hands of Portland who shot a red-hot 46.5 percent from beyond the arc, including 6-of-10 made by Oakland-born Damian Lillard. » Full Recap
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MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
| GSW | POR |
|---|---|
| 2-3 | 3-2 |
| 14th in West | 6th in West |
| PTS: 108.2 (21st) | PTS: 114.2 (9th) |
| REB: 43.0 (21st) | REB: 44.4 (16th) |
| AST: 21.0 (29th) | AST: 22.8 (21st) |
BAZEMORE AT THE READY
Veteran Kent Bazemore started his career as a undrafted rookie with the Warriors in 2013, and in 2020 he returned to the team a seasoned NBA veteran. But sometimes, the role of a veteran player is not to log a large quantity of minutes but rather remain at the ready to produce quality minutes. After 11 minutes in the Dubs’ season-opener, Bazemore played just four minutes the following game, while remaining on the bench the next two. “I know what Kent can do,” said Head Coach Steve Kerr when speaking with media on Dec. 29. “He’s going to play, it just has to happen organically.” That time came Friday against the Trail Blazers when Bazemore’s number was called, and he was ready. In 17 minutes off the bench, Bazemore provided a much-needed energy boost as he came in and produced eight points while knocking down 2-of-3 three pointers.
TEAM LEADERS
| GSW | POR |
|---|---|
| PTS: Curry (26.4) | PTS: McCollum (28.0) |
| REB: Chriss (6.5) | REB: Kanter (8.6) |
| AST: Curry (6.6) | AST: Lillard (6.6) |
PORTLAND SCOUTING REPORT
The backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum entered Friday’s matchup averaging 51 points per game, and sure enough the Warriors witnessed first-hand what the two can do on Friday. In the first game of the Dubs’ home back-to-back, Lillard finished with a game-high 34 points and McCollum had 28 for a combined 62-point effort on 10 made three-pointers. 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony connected on three threes of his own and scored 18 points off the bench on Friday. Portland’s fire power is real and something to be wary of, as the team has made 15.8 treys per game, which ranks third in the league.
