GS Warriors Meet Portland Blazers In NBA West Conference Opener
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 23 Oct 2024
The Golden State Warriors, last season's also run, try to test their team supported by new veteran additions against last season's laggards, the Portland Trailblazers, in the NBA Western Conference opener at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon tomorrow.
The Warriors, despite losing Klay Thompson who is now with Dallas Mavericks, are aiming for a return to at least a podium finish in the West. Demonstrating their determination, the Dubs emerged as the only unbeaten team in the pre-season with an immaculate 6-0 record, beating their opposition including the LA Lakers by more than 17 points.
However for a team known for its "small ball" philosophy built around superstar Stephen Curry, the Warriors used a strange starting line-up during its successful pre-season run.
Their starters included new vet recruit De Anthony Melton, stayovers Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson Davis. Note that Kuminga, Green and Davis usually play as centers or power forwards denoting a paradigm shift in the "small ball" philosophy successfully employed by coach Steve Kerr especially in the Warriors past title campaigns.
But as always, it was Curry and the likes of Moses Moody, Gary Payton II and Brandin Podzeamski who did the mopping up together with center Kevon Looney.
Also making their presence felt immediately for Golden State were new veteran additions Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson who adds more ceiling to the once vertically challenged Warriors.
Meanwhile led by head coach Chauncey Billups, the Blazers are returning a group of players including Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant, and Shaedon Sharpe. Donovan Clingan, the 7th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft will look to make an impact early on.
For this game, Portland is likely to use its pre-season starting line up of Anfernee Simons, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija, Jeremi Grant and Donovan Clingan. This first five provided problems to the Blazers opposition in the pre-season with its size and length especially on defense.
The Blazers also boast of DeAndre Ayton and Robert Williams III to sustain the advantage together with a skew of big power forwards and tall small forwards, young yet but promising.
The Golden State-Portland matchplay will be bear watching to see which team will have the better chance of making further improvements as the season moves on to its 82 games schedule.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
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