Gameday: Draymond will play; Curry vs Lillard the matchup to watch

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The Warriors play their final game prior to the All-Star break Wednesday night against the Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland.

The Warriors (44-13) recovered from a stretch during which they lost three of four games by winning their last three, all at home, by an average margin of 27 points.

The Blazers (31-26) in their last game had a nine-game home win streak snapped with a 115-96 loss to the red-hot Utah Jazz.

BETTING LINE

Warriors by 6

MATCHUP TO WATCH

Stephen Curry vs. Damian Lillard: Two of the most explosive scorers in history, both with deep range and the ability to take over a game. They won’t always defend each other, but either starts cooking his team usually follows. Each ranks among the top 10 scorers for the third consecutive season, Curry fourth (26.8 ppg) and Lillard (25.8) sixth. When either starts cooking his team usually follows.

INJURY REPORT

Warriors: F Draymond Green (L index finger sprain) and F/C Kevon Looney (R knee soreness) listed as questionable were upgraded prior to shootaround. G Pat McCaw (L/R wrist injuries) and F Jordan Bell (L ankle inflammation) are listed as out.

Trail Blazers: C Jusuf Nurkic (R calf strain, right oblique strain, low back soreness) is listed as questionable.

LAST 10

Warriors: 7-3. Blazers: 6-4.

GAME OFFICIALS

Bill Spooner (crew chief), Tony Brown, Leon Wood

SERIES HISTORY

The Warriors won the first of three meetings this season, 111-104, on Dec. 11 in Oakland. The Warriors swept the four-game series last season and are 11-1 against the Blazers in the Steve Kerr era.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH

THE 3 BALLS: The Warriors lead the NBA in 3-point shooting accuracy at 39.3 percent. They’re at a league-best 40 percent since Jan. 1. The Blazers rank third overall, at 37.9 percent, but since Jan. 1 have shot at a 39.5-percent clip, second best in the NBA. As good as Curry and Lillard are, their backcourt mates, Klay Thompson and CJ McCollum, are shooting 3-balls at a higher percentage.

FOCUS LEVELS: This being the final game for each team prior to the All-Star break, there is the likelihood that some players may not be fully engaged. If so, that should benefit the Warriors, who have greater overall depth than Portland.

THE FRONTCOURTS: The Warriors, with Kevin Durant and Green, have the advantage here. It’s decisive if Nurkic, a disappointment this season, sits. Starting forwards Mo Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu are mediocre at best. Look no further than these three to see why Portland is dead last in both assists and fast-break points.

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