Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers Prediction & Match Preview - February 24th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
As NBA action resumes following the All-Star break, the Golden State Warriors will play their first game on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on Thursday February 24th.
Coming off a tough 116-117 loss against the Denver Nuggets, the Warriors find themselves on a three-game losing streak heading into this game. Hoping to put an end to their losing slide, the Golden State Warriors will hope to notch a win in this game.
Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers proved to be an interesting team to follow prior to the All-Star break. Coming off a 123-119 win against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Trail Blazers are on a four-game winning streak as they start the next part of their season at home.
Thursday's game will be the final instalment of the three-game series between the two teams this season. With the Warriors leading 2-0, the Trail Blazers will attempt to win this next game at home to avoid a series sweep.
Match Details
Fixture - Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers | 2021-22 NBA Season
Date & Time - Thursday, February 24th, 2022; 10:00 PM ET (Friday, February 25th, 2022; 8:30 AM IST)
Venue - Moda Center, Portland, OR
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Dubs were handed a tough loss against the Denver Nuggets on February 16th. Featuring a great performance by Steph Curry, who had 25 points on the night, the Warriors came up just short as Monte Morris drilled the game-winning three with Curry on him.
MONTE. MORRIS.
GAME-WINNING BUZZER BEATER 🔥 https://t.co/D15sxl3U0F
Prior to the game-winner, Curry had hit a shot to take a two-point lead. However, a late play by the Nuggets would see Curry's shot upstaged.
Golden State featured major defensive lapses in the fourth. With Draymond Green out of the rotation, the Warriors defensive rotation has been quite poor.
Although Gary Payton II had an impressive defensive showing with six steals and a block, along with a +\- of +13, the performance wasn't enough to support the Warriors' fourth-quarter blunder.
Key Player - Steph Curry
A key player for the Golden State Warriors in their upcoming road game will be Steph Curry.
Curry has seen some major ups and downs this season. Coming off one of the worst shooting slumps of his career, the Warriors superstar will hopefully be in good form for their run of games after hisstellar performance at the All-Star Game.
Steph Curry put on a historic showing to earn the 2022 Kia NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player of the 71st NBA All-Star Game. Recording 50 points on 16 made three-pointers, Curry set an All-Star Game record for the most number of three-pointers made in an All-Star game.
50 points. 16 threes.
@StephenCurry30 || #NBAAllStar https://t.co/LIm6wShlkO
With Curry being a major influence in the functioning of Golden State's offense, should he be able to maintain his form after the break as well, the Warriors will be in a good position to win this game.
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
G - Steph Curry | G - Gary Payton II | F - Klay Thompson | F - Andrew Wiggins | C - Kevon Looney
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Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers have seen a nightmare of a season so far, which featured major injuries to superstar Damian Lillard. The Trail Blazers also saw significant personnel changes as they traded CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of the trade deadline.
With Lillard still recovering from injury, the side have seen a bright spark in young Anfernee Simons. Emerging as an electric scorer, the guard has led Portland to a four-game winning streak.
However, the side may have more problems ahead of their next matchup. Still rattled by injuries, the Trail Blazers will also see their primary big Jusuf Nurkic out for a significant amount of time with a foot injury.
: rip.city/357CAnQJusuf Nurkic will be out at least four weeks with left foot plantar fasciitis.
🔗: rip.city/357CAnQ
With no bonafide center on their roster, Portland will be in a precarious position as they head into their next encounter.
Key Player - Anfernee Simons
A key player for the Portland Trail Blazers in their upcoming home game will be rising star Anfernee Simons.
Simons has raised his hand as one of the most impressive young players in the NBA this season. He was brought into the starting lineup in the absence of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, and has gone on to showcase his wide array of skills.
An impressive aspect of the 22-year old has been his consistency on the floor. Recording 30+ points in each of his last three outings, the Trail Blazers guard has done so while shooting extremely efficiently 40% from beyond the arc.
Anfernee Simons last 4 games
vs Grizzlies: 31 PTS, 5 3PT, W
vs Bucks: 31 PTS, 7 3PT, W
vs Knicks: 30 PTS, 6 3PT, W
vs Lakers: 29 PTS, 5 3PT, W
Legit star. https://t.co/YUYUxGg37H
Since moving McCollum, it appears as though the Portland Trail Blazers will attempt to pair Anfernee Simons with their superstar Damian Lillard. While there is still some time before Lillard returns to action, Simons continues to develop as a scorer and a leader.
Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup
G - Anfernee Simons | G - CJ Elleby | F - Josh Hart | F - Justise Winslow | C - Greg Brown III
Warriors vs Trail Blazers Match Predictions
On paper, the 42-17 Golden State Warriors look likely to win this matchup against the 25-34 Portland Trail Blazers.
Although Portland were on a bit of a hot streak prior to the All-Star break, the Warriors hold the advantage in the season series and have played Portland relatively well this season.
Additionally, should Steph Curry maintain his shooting form from the All-Star game, Portland may have their hands full trying to contain him. If Portland is overly concerned with the threat Curry holds, this could potentially create gaps in their defense, allowing for the other Warriors sharpshooters to capatialize.
The Trail Blazers do have a chance if they manage to overwhelm Golden State's defense with offensive pressure. But the slated absence of Nurkic, the team's third-best scorer, puts a limit on how effective their offense can be.
Where to watch Warriors vs Trail Blazers game?
The Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers matchup will be broadcast nationally on TNT. The encounter will also be available to stream on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can also listen to the game by tuning into Rip City Radio 620.
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