On May 3, shocking news came out of the Golden State Warriors: the team's star, Stephen Curry, had sprained his ankle during the first round. After an assessment by the medical staff, it was confirmed that he would miss the opening game of the Western Conference Semifinals!
As soon as the news broke, it struck the hearts of Golden State Warriors fans like a bolt from the blue. They felt as if the sky were about to fall.
By contrast, Portland Trail Blazers fans were so excited they could hardly contain themselves, cheering and celebrating. This was practically a golden opportunity handed to them by heaven!
But to everyone's astonishment, even with their opponents sitting their star, Stephen Curry, the Portland Trail Blazers still performed terribly.
In this pivotal game, Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors stepped up and displayed unparalleled dominance.
Klay Thompson was on fire throughout the game, as if the gods were guiding his hand. He made 14 of 28 shots, including 7 of 14 from beyond the arc, for an astonishing shooting percentage. He also sank all three of his free throws.
In the end, Klay Thompson put up an all-around performance with 38 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 118–106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. They won by 12 points and got off to a winning start in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Watching this unfold, Portland Trail Blazers fans were dumbstruck, unable to believe their eyes.
They couldn't help murmuring, "What on earth went wrong with us? We still lost to a 'crippled' Golden State Warriors team without Stephen Curry?"
Goodwin watched the game as well.
In his view, the Portland Trail Blazers had lost because their backcourt duo, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum,