Update (6:07 p.m.): After missing the first two games as he comes back from a leg fracture, center Jusuf Nurkic will start for the Blazers in Game 3, the team announced.
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PORTLAND -- Having left the bright gold T-shirts that blanketed Oracle Arena, the Warriors on Saturday will wade into a sea of red and a sprinkling of white at Moda Center in support of the Trail Blazers.
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The Warriors, up 2-0, will try to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven first playoff series with Portland.
Each team is coping with a notable injury. Kevin Durant is listed as questionable for the Warriors, while Portland center Jusuf Nurkic, who missed the first two games of the series, was upgraded to doubtful for Game 3.
BETTING LINE:
Warriors by 6
MATCHUP TO WATCH:
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson vs. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum: Everything with the Blazers starts -- and often ends -- with their explosive guards. Lillard and McCollum combined for 75 points in Game 1, but were limited to a total of 23 in Game 2. On their homecourt, seeking their first win of the series, Portland’s guards know this is their best chance to make a statement. Curry and Thompson want to make a statement of their own. They combined for 35 points in Game -- but were only 12-of-35 from the field.
Golden State Warriors
INJURY REPORT:
Warriors: F Matt Barnes (R foot/ankle bone bruise), F Kevin Durant (L calf strain) and G Shaun Livingston (R index finger sprain and hand contusion) are all out. F Kevon Looney (L hip strain) is also listed as out.
Blazers: G Allen Crabbe (L foot soreness) and G CJ McCollum (R ankle sprain) are listed as probable. C Jusuf Nurkic (L leg fracture) will play after missing the first two games. C Ed Davis (L shoulder surgery) and C Festus Ezeli (L knee surgery) are listed as out.
SERIES HISTORY:
The Warriors own a 2-0 lead in the series and swept four games in the regular seasons. They have won 12 of the last 13 games, including the 2016 postseason.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH:
THE GAME 3 BLUES: The Warriors are 2-6 in Game 3s over the past two postseasons, 0-4 last spring and 2-2 during their championship run in 2015. All eight of those games have come on the road, six with the Warriors owning a 2-0 series lead. The coaching staff has pointed this out, with emphasis.
THE SUPPORTING CAST: Every Blazer not named Lillard or McCollum is role player, and role players tend to perform better at home, as Draymond Green pointed out Friday. That certainly seems true of Crabbe and Aminu. If they wake up after back-to-back games of limited effectiveness, Portland will give itself a chance.
THE PAINT GAME: Though the Blazers were solid inside in Game 1, the Warriors took control in Game 2. The center trio of JaVale McGee, Zaza Pachulia and David West played a combined 44 minutes and submitted 33 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. They took advantage of Portland not having a healthy natural center.