Warriors Reach Their 5th Straight NBA Finals, Sweep Trail Blazers, 119-117

The Golden State Warriors are in the NBA Finals for the fifth straight time. Dub Nation eliminated Portland Trail Blazers last night, sweeping them from the playoffs for them for the second time in the previous three years.

The Warriors won after overtime, 119-117, with Steph Curry and Draymond Green posting triple-doubles. These two guys became the first pair of teammates to post a TD in one playoff game.

“A lot of experience in this thing. We’ve seen it all, and it comes out in the right moments,” said Curry about him and Draymond achieving something which never happened before.

Steph ended the game with 37 points, 13 boards, and 11 assists, hitting 7 threes, while Green posted 18 points, 14 boards, and 11 dimes.

The two-time NBA MVP is averaging 35.8 points per night since Durant suffered a leg injury. His team is perfect though, with a 5-0 record.

In a tight ending, the Warriors’ composure was better, same as defense, which played a big part in this victory.

CJ McCollum scored to give the lead to the hosts, 115-114 with 1:41 until the end. Alfonzo McKinnie scored for two to bring back the advantage to GSW’s side. After that, Green hit a clutch three which, in the end, decided the match. Damian Lillard made who played another excellent game made a layup, while on the other side, Steph Curry traveled, and gave the possession back to the Trail Blazers.

Lillard couldn’t go by Thompson on two occasions, when he attempted a layup and when he tried to sink a game-winning three.

The Trail Blazers once again lost a huge advantage they had during the game. At one point in the third period, hosts were up 17 points, 95-78. Since then, the champs have made a 12-0 run which brought them back into the match completely. Meanwhile, the hosts were frozen, and even though they managed to force overtime, it was evident that they just don’t have what it takes to beat Golden State.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx7nbaymPOE

This was the third straight event in this series in which Portland couldn’t win despite having 17 or 18-point lead. Whatever is the reason, a team who challenges the champions can’t allow things like this to happen.

Terry Stotts later said, “They find ways to win.”

Last night’s loss, marked the second straight season in which the Trail Blazers suffered a sweep to close their playoff run. Last year it was against the Pelicans in the first round, and now is against the champs. Damian Lillard compared these two experiences.

“Back-to-back sweeps, but you’d rather be swept in the Western Conference finals than the first round,” Lillard said, adding that all in all he is satisfied with the run his team made this season.

“We put together a great season. We lose our owner, we dealt with injuries. We just kept answering the call. That takes a group.”

He ended the game with 28 points and 12 assists shooting 11 of 24 from the field. McCollum had 26 with 7 assists, hitting 5 threes.

The surprise of the match was Meyers Leonard who had a team-high 30 buckets, along with 12 boards. The 27-year old was excellent from the field, 12 of 16, and 5 of 8 from downtown.

By winning this matchup, the Warriors have become only the second team in the history to reach five straight NBA Finals. It was previously done by the Boston Celtics who had 10 consecutive appearances back in the 60s and 70s. They are now awaiting the better from the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Toronto Raptors clash. At the moments the Bucks had a 2-1 lead.

GSW might become the first team since 2003 and the Lakers to do a three-peat. But according to all the experts, whichever team comes out as the winner of the Eastern Conference, their job will be much tougher than in the previous finals. Both Milwaukee and Toronto have superb quality. They are much tougher to play against, because of the overall structure of the teams, which isn’t simple as Cavaliers’ was. Both sides have much better shooters than Cleveland had, and the chemistry is at a higher level.

The NBA Finals are starting in ten days, on May the 30th.