Warriors: Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala are keys to WCF
By Tony Pesta
Here is why Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala are the keys to this series between the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers are set for a Western Conference Finals showdown. The young and spunky Trail Blazers have been exceeding expectations all season long and are looking to push the Dubs to their limit. Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala will be the keys to winning this series swiftly.
It’s no secret that the Trail Blazers have had their backs against the wall ever since losing rising star big man, Jusuf Nurkic. The bright young center was making huge strides in his game, averaging career highs in points and rebounds before suffering a devastating season-ending injury.
Without Nurkic’s presence down low, the Blazers have relied heavily on their All-Star backcourt of CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard. These two have carried the offensive load on their backs all postseason long and have been nothing short of incredible.
In round one versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, Lillard ran the show. With an average of 33.0 points per game on 46.1 percent shooting, Dame was electric all series long. By finishing the series with a killer step-back 3-pointer over Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Paul George, Lillard made a statement that was heard around the league.
Meanwhile, McCollum picked up his share of the load in Round Two. While he was great all series long, it was his 37 point performance in Game 7 that carried Portland passed the Denver Nuggets and to their first Conference Finals berth since 2000.
This backcourt is the reason the Trail Blazers have been so successful. As a result, it will take the full defensive powers of Thompson and Iggy to slow them down. If they manage to do this, the series should be an easy one to win.