Blazers vs. Warriors, scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 1, has the makings of a great playoff series. The Portland Trail Blazers eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, April 29, winning the first-round playoff series in six games . The prize for advancing in the 2016 NBA Playoffs is a series with the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
The Blazers vs. Warriors schedule has already been released by the NBA, with The Oregonian revealing it to fans of the teams. The Warriors will host the first two games of the series, with the Blazers hosting Games 3 and 4. Should they be necessary, Game 5 would be in California, Game 6 would be in Oregon, and the teams would play Game 7 back in California.
Full Portland Trail Blazers Vs. Golden State Warriors Schedule
Game 1: Sunday, May 1 – Blazers at Warriors, 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC
Game 2: Tuesday, May 3 – Blazers at Warriors, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
Game 3: Saturday, May 7 – Warriors at Blazers, 5:30 p.m. on ABC
Game 4: Monday, May 9 – Warriors at Blazers, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
Game 5* : Wednesday, May 11 – Blazers at Warriors, TBD on TNT
Game 6* : Friday, May 13 – Warriors at Blazers, TBD on ESPN
Game 7* : Monday, May 16 – Blazers at Warriors, 6 p.m. on TNT
After falling behind the Los Angeles Clippers 2-0 in the first-round series, the Portland Trail Blazers won the final four games to move on in the NBA Playoffs. Game 6 took place in front of the home crowd at Moda Center, giving the die-hard Blazers fans a chance to watch this Cinderella Story continue to unfold. A team that most NBA analysts said wouldn’t even make the playoffs has advanced to the Western Conference second-round. The term “playing with house money” has never been more pertinent than when being used to describe these Blazers.
Though the Warriors finished the regular season with a 73-9 record, they did have a rather large stumble against the Blazers during the 2015-16 NBA season. That game came on February 19, when the Blazers simply ran away in the second half. The Blazers had a 68-62 lead at halftime, but would hold the Warriors to just 43 second half points. In that second half, the Blazers scored 69 points, aiding in a 137-105 blowout that showcased how far the team had come since the first week of the season.
Everything is back to even when the Blazers vs. Warriors schedule gets started on May 1. While the Blazers come into the series with a nearly healthy roster, the Warriors are still without reigning MVP Stephen Curry. A new report from USA Today states that Curry is very optimistic about returning from a MCL sprain in the near future, though it won’t take place before his re-evaluation on May 10. In that timetable he would miss the first four games of the series against the Blazers. Curry spoke with reporters about how his rehabilitation is going.
“I always have an optimistic view, no matter what it is, so I hope to get back sooner (than May 10). Having talked to the doctors and the athletic training staff and all the experts, that two-week timeline – as (Warriors general manager) Bob (Myers) said – was an educated guess. Whether it’s before two weeks, after two weeks, right at two weeks, the plan is to stay the same. Every day I’m getting treatment, every day I’m trying to do what I need to do to get back on the floor. And when the body says it’s time, we’ll push that button.”
Most of the Blazers vs. Warriors schedule appears ready to play out without Stephen Curry on the court. Should the Warriors fall behind early in the series, though, it could certainly lead to a push for Curry to come back faster. The front office for the Golden State Warriors may not want him to rush back, but a potential playoff exit at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers could certainly alter plans. For the healthy players on both rosters, the schedule officially tips off Sunday, May 1, at 12:30 p.m. PT.
[Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images]