“We’ve played against Kanter before, and there are certain looks you can get.” Though Stephen Curry was directly talking about the Portland Trail Blazers plodding center, Enes Kanter, he may as well have been discussing the series in general.
Game one of the 2019 Western Conference Finals was a 22 point drubbing that highlighted some of the same issues that have been at the center of Portland’s playoff exits over the past few years. Lacking defensive-minded wings and forced to play slow-footed bigs, the Blazers are particularly vulnerable to the high screens that free up Golden State’s shooters.