Trail Blazers vs. Warriors Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats10:30 PM
by Gracenote on 12/10/2017

The Golden State Warriors just got finished sweeping a six-game road trip despite losing point guard Stephen Curry to an ankle sprain midway through. The Warriors still won't have Curry available but will have another former MVP, Kevin Durant, when they return home and host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.

Durant picked up the slack for Curry in the final two games of the trip, dropping a 35-point triple-double on the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday before going for 36 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks in a 102-98 win at Detroit on Friday. "Usually over a three-game road trip, the last game we're a little sluggish and ready to get home," Durant told reporters after beating the Pistons. "We've been on the road for so long, and guys are ready to get home. I liked our focus level to start the game, for 48 minutes we were focused. ... I think our focus level was the main thing throughout this whole trip--especially with so much that went on. Just proud of the effort that we gave from the coaches all the way down to the players." The Trail Blazers could be happy to be hitting the road for a five-game trip after getting swept in a four-game homestand, capped by a 124-117 loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday. "I'm definitely not into moral victories, but I think if we had that type of effort against any of the previous three teams, we might have finished this home stand 3 and 1," Portland point guard Damian Lillard told reporters. "I think we all understand that you go through adversity in the NBA season, but it's how you come out of it. I think this was definitely a few steps in the right direction."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Northwest (Portland), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (13-12): Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for 63 points in Saturday's loss, and the team tried to find the positives. "It's disappointing to lose," said Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. "They're the best team in the league right now and we competed and came up short, but we had a lot of good efforts from a lot of different players. That was very encouraging. After the last three games, it's good to be in a game at the end against a really good team, and like I said, we just came up short." McCollum scored 28 points on 11-of-21 shooting after shooting 34.2 percent and failing to reach 20 points in any of the previous four contests.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (21-6): Golden State is a different team without Curry on the floor, and Durant is stepping up. "I feel like we're always focused, but it's just a different style that we have to play," Durant told reporters. "Obviously not having Steph, the way he shoots the three, the way he penetrates the way he creates for everybody on the floor not having him on the floor is a little different and we definitely miss him, but we have to figure out ways to score the ball and find the open man." Draymond Green (shoulder) returned from a one-game absence on Friday and struggled with his shot at 1-of-6 from the floor but made up for it with 13 assists and six blocks.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Warriors C Zaza Pachulia (shoulder) sat out Friday and is doubtful for Monday.

2. Trail Blazers C Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) missed Saturday's game and is day-to-day.

3. The teams are meeting for the first time since Golden State swept Portland in the first round of the playoffs last spring.

PREDICTION: Warriors 123, Trail Blazers 101