Two Western Conference powerhouse will meet at the Moda Center on Thursday as the defending National Basketball Association (NBA) champions Golden State Warriors visit the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Warriors were successful in their first preseason game defeating the Toronto Raptors 95–87.
Veteran guard Leandro Barbosa led the way for the Dubs with 15 points while the Splash Brothers, reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, scored 14 points each.
Golden State played and will continue doing so under interim head coach Luke Walton who is temporarily replacing head coach Steve Kerr while the latter recovers from a back surgery.
Another notable offensive performances in the win were from center Marreese Speights who added 12 points and forward James Michael McAdoo who had 10 points, all scored in the fourth quarter, according to the Associated Press.
The Raptors were led by offseason signing forward DeMarre Carroll who tallied 15 points, three rebounds, and one steal.
Meanwhile, the Blazers were defeated 109–105 in overtime by the Sacramento Kings in their first preseason outing.
The new look Blazers only had All-Star point guard Damian Lillard as the holdover from last season's starting five.
Lillard had 17 points, one rebound, three assists, and three steals in a losing effort.
Center Meyers Leonard and forward Maurice Harkless, who was traded from the Orlando Magic in the offseason, scored 14 points each and combined for 14 rebounds; but it was not enough to secure a win for Portland.
The Blazers lost starters center Robin Lopez (New York Knicks), forwards LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs) and Nicolas Batum (Charlotte Hornets), and guard Wesley Matthews (Dallas Mavericks) during the offseason.
Both the Warriors and the Blazers are led by star point guards, and even though it is just a preseason game, the matchup between Curry and Lillard is something to expect.
The game between the Warriors and Blazers will be on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 10:00 p.m. EST. To watch via live stream, click here.
