Trail Blazers vs Warriors: Game 2 Score, Twitter Reaction from 2016 NBA Playoffs

A postseason cliche is that a series doesn't really start until the road team steals a game, but the clash between the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers already feels over after the home team won the first two contests.

The Trail Blazers took an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter of Tuesday's Game 2 but lost 110-99. The Warriors looked overmatched for the majority of the game but then reminded everyone just how dangerous they are—even without the injured Stephen Curry—with a 34-12 fourth quarter:

Golden State got some timely offense from Klay Thompson and Draymond Green down the stretch, but it was the defense that dictated the tone. It held Damian Lillard scoreless in the fourth quarter after he was red-hot during the third and tied a franchise record, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Thompson led the way for the Warriors on the offensive end with 27 points, but it was Green who facilitated much of the comeback with his versatile ball-handling and passing. He finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks and spearheaded a massive push in the fourth, per Kevin Pelton of ESPN:

Portland is only a couple of home wins away from making this a series again, but it blew an 11-point lead in the final 12 minutes Tuesday after losing 118-106 in Game 1. Lillard finished with a team-high 25 points, while backcourt mate C.J. McCollum added 22.

The Trail Blazers made adjustments after the Warriors outscored them 37-17 in the first quarter of Game 1. Portland jumped out to a 19-5 lead within the opening six minutes and looked set to win one on the road.

The Trail Blazers were pushing the ball in transition and dictating the pace on the offensive end, but it was a defensive matchup that helped them establish control, via Nate Duncan of The Cauldron:

Maurice Harkless was forced to the bench with his second foul at the 6:40 mark, but Portland built a 34-21 lead by the end of the first quarter behind 10 points from Al-Farouq Aminu and 66.7 percent shooting as a team. What's more, Lillard hadn't made much of an impact with only three points, though he did have three of his team-high six assists.

Portland continued its hot shooting in the second and stretched its lead to 45-28 on an Allen Crabbe jumper. Dwight Jaynes of Comcast SportsNet Northwest reacted to the start after the Trail Blazers had shot a mere 40.2 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from deep in Game 1:

Golden State needed a spark, and that's exactly what it got from Harrison Barnes:

The Dubs then went on a seemingly inevitable run and cut the lead to 49-46. Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post opined that the "Warriors upped the degree of difficulty in this game, but the result will be the same." However, Portland showcased its mental toughness and answered with a spurt of its own to take a 59-51 advantage into halftime.

Harkless continued to bother Thompson on the defensive end early in the second half and even drew a technical foul on the Golden State star. Andy Liu of SB Nation noted, "Not sure when was last time I saw Klay this frustrated," but Harkless went to the bench with his fourth foul with the Trail Blazers up seven and 8:16 on the clock.

To Portland's credit, it fought through the foul trouble and continued to answer every Warriors charge. Lillard put the visitors up 72-64 with a jumper at the 5:18 mark of the third, and Mike Richman of the Oregonian praised the Trail Blazers for their resiliency:

After holding off Golden State, Portland seemed to shift into winning mode in the final two minutes of the quarter. Lillard drilled a three and Henderson hit another before Lillard tallied the last of his 17 points in the period with a crowd-silencing buzzer-beater to make it 87-76:

Whatever momentum resulted from that shot didn't last long. The Warriors responded by cutting the deficit to 87-82 as Festus Ezeli scored the first six points of the fourth.

Buckets by McCollum and Crabbe pushed the lead to 91-82, but Thompson broke free and drilled a three from the corner to cap a 9-0 run and tie the game at 91. Matt Moore of CBS Sports recognized the spurt meant it was danger time for the Trail Blazers:

Golden State took a 96-95 lead on a basket by Shaun Livingston, which spurred a 10-0 run, and Jaynes pointed to a problem for the visitors as the Warriors took control:

Thompson and Green led the late charge for the Warriors, but Duncan didn't overlook the critical six rebounds and one block Ezeli contributed after the big man didn't even see the court in Game 1:

The unstoppable Warriors machine was fully activated by the time Livingston connected on a fadeaway from the high post to put Golden State up 102-95 with 2:16 remaining, and Thompson added two free throws to cap the run. The Warriors' length bothered Portland on the defensive end, and Golden State continued to apply the pressure on offense. Green resembled a point guard at times with his passing from the key.

What's Next?

Game 3 in this second-round series is set for Saturday in Portland.

The Trail Blazers' only realistic chance to advance is with wins in Games 3 and 4, which would make it a best-of-three matchup. Of course, the Warriors were a league-best 34-7 on the road in the regular season, so that won't be an easy task.

Without the reigning MVP in Curry, Golden State has control of the series. It is apparently hoping he returns for Game 3, per Janie McCauley of the Associated Press (via NBA.com), but the Warriors have some breathing room and don't have to rush him back.

Golden State lost only nine games during the 82-game regular season, so it's probably not going to lose four of five against Portland—even if Curry never steps on the floor.

Postgame Reaction

Thompson discussed the comeback effort, via NBA TV:

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr commented on Green's personality and his role on the team, via NBA TV:

Kerr also praised Ezeli, per Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle: "He changed the whole game with his pick-and-roll defense, his presence around the rim and the energy he gave us."

Lillard, on the other hand, reflected on the missed opportunity, per Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated: "Nights like tonight, they suck. It hurts."

Lillard provided more details on the late collapse, via NBA TV:

McCollum wasn't interested in moral victories, via NBA TV:

The Trail Blazers need to pick up a victory, or this series will be over quickly.