Seems like an excellent opportunity to get Curry, Green & maybe Igoudala
more rest (though I'd play Igoudala a little just to get him back into
better shape). -AL

=================================================================
Warriors won’t face Blazers’ star backcourt duo tonight
Damian Lillard (abdomen) CJ McCollum (lung) out vs. Steph Curry, Warriors
>PORTLAND, OREGON – MAY 20: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State
Warriors shoots the ball against Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail
Blazers during the first half in game four of the NBA Western Conference
Finals at Moda Center on May 20, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER:
User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using
this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the
Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
>PORTLAND, OREGON – MAY 20: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State
Warriors shoots the ball against Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail
Blazers during the first half in game four of the NBA Western Conference
Finals at Moda Center on May 20, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER:
User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using
this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the
Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
By MICHAEL NOWELS | mnowels@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: December 8, 2021 at 10:56 a.m. | UPDATED: December 8, 2021 at
11:06 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/12/08/warriors-wont-face-blazers-star-backcourt-duo-tonight/

The battle for the Western Conference’s top guard pairing is often a
subplot during games between the Warriors and Trail Blazers, but most of
the qualified parties won’t play in Wednesday night’s game.

Klay Thompson is out, just like he has been for the last two-plus
seasons, and missing for Portland will be both Damian Lillard and CJ
McCollum, leaving Steph Curry the only star guard available in the matchup.

Lillard is out with a lingering abdominal issue identified last week and
McCollum suffered a collapsed lung in the Blazers’ loss to the Celtics
on Saturday night.

The shooting guard missed Monday’s game at the Clippers and the team
announced Tuesday that he would be out indefinitely after a CT scan
revealed the lung injury.

To boot, Portland (11-14) may also be missing backup guards Anfernee
Simons (ankle) and Ben McLemore (hip).

Fans of the Warriors (20-4) probably recall the last time Curry,
Thompson, Lillard and McCollum shared the court: A four-game sweep of
the Blazers in the 2019 Western Conference finals. Portland led at
halftime of Games 2-4, but the Warriors’ firepower was too much, even
without Kevin Durant, who was nursing a calf injury at the time. Curry
averaged 36.5 points per game, a total neither Blazers guard matched in
any game.

Of course, the next series spelled doom for Golden State: Thompson
hasn’t seen the court since that time, and Curry also missed most of the
following season after breaking his hand in October.

The Blazers backcourt hasn’t suffered the same level of bad injury luck,
but McCollum did suffer a foot fracture in January to halt what appeared
to be a breakout 2020-21 season.

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Portland has been mired in trade rumors — involving McCollum, other
rotation players and, yes, the superstar Lillard — after changing
coaches this offseason and firing GM Neil Olshey last week. Lillard’s
relatively slow start before the injury didn’t help, either.

By comparison, the Warriors weathered their storm over the last two
years and are back to feeling good vibes with Thompson nearing a return.
Golden State’s three recent championships may have something to do with
the patience shown amid the injury-caused downturn.

With that West finals appearance as the top accomplishment to their
name, it remains to be seen whether Lillard, McCollum and the Blazers
will have that same approach. Perhaps we’ll know more by the time the
teams’ next meeting comes Feb. 24, two weeks after the trade deadline.

--
Michael Nowels | Digital Sports Strategist
Mike covers sports.