Warriors @ Trail Blazers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Golden State Warriors

@ Portland Trail Blazers

Current odds:

Golden State Warriors: (+115)

Portland Trail Blazers: (-135)

• The line for this game is Portland by 2.5 points.

• The Golden State Warriors protected homecourt advantage despite one of their stars sitting out the first two games of the Western Conference finals and don’t expect to get Kevin Durant (calf) back when the series shifts. The Portland Trail Blazers will try to get back into the series and avoid a 3-0 hole when they host the Warriors in Game 3 on Saturday. Golden State breezed to a 116-94 win in Game 1 but needed 37 points from Stephen Curry to help pull out of a 17-point hole in Game 2 and escape with a 114-111 victory. “We stole that game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “I thought they outplayed us for much of the night, the majority of the night, but we brought enough competitive fire in the second half to overcome their great play. We’ve been here before. I think our experience helped us. We’ve done this a few times, and yeah, we stole it for sure. They outplayed us.”

• The Trail Blazers are heading home with some confidence due to the way they played for most of Game 2 and belief they can get back into the series. “You know, you hate to lose a game, but I think we showed that we can compete with them,” Portland coach Terry Stotts told reporters. “It was a much better game than we played in Game 1. Now we’ve got to go get two at home, but it starts with Game 3. But yeah, we beat them in the regular season, and we did play a good game, much better game at both ends of the floor tonight. So, we’ve got to take that into Game 3.”

• Curry and Klay Thompson are being asked to step up with Durant out of the lineup for at least two more games and combined to average 61.5 points in the first two games. “They know who they are, and they know our team,” Kerr told reporters of Curry and Thompson. “This team’s been together a long time and they trust each other. When the ball starts moving, that’s when we’re tough to guard. I thought in the first half, we were taking some quick shots when we fell behind, and I thought in the third quarter, we finally started to settle down and Steph and Klay had a big part in that.” Power forward Draymond Green played a big part in the comeback as well and posted 16 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks in Game 2.

• Curry and Thompson outplayed Portland’s star backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, who combined to go 15-of-39 from the floor in Game 2. “I think it’s just a make-or-miss league,” McCollum told reporters. “We got some good looks. I personally had some good looks. I had an open three I missed, and I had a floater I missed late. I had a switch with Draymond; I missed a 3-pointer. I think it’s just a make-or-miss league. They played good defense, but I can live with the shots I miss every day of the week and I think, you know, offensively we had some pretty good possessions. We just didn’t finish them.” Lillard, who went 3-of-17 in the clinching Game 7 against Denver in the Western Conference semifinals, is 10-of-28 from the floor against Golden State.

• Warriors C Kevon Looney went 6-of-6 from the floor on Thursday and is shooting 71.9 percent in the postseason.

• Trail Blazers SG Seth Curry matched his postseason high with 16 points off the bench in Game 2.

• Portland SG Rodney Hood is averaging 14.5 points off the bench in the series.