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Could Blazers’ top 5 beat Warriors in 7?

By Jacob Swanson

Mar 2, 2017; Boulder, CO, USA; American broadcaster Bill Walton before the game between the Stanford Cardinals and the Colorado Buffaloes at the Coors Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 2, 2017; Boulder, CO, USA; American broadcaster Bill Walton before the game between the Stanford Cardinals and the Colorado Buffaloes at the Coors Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 2, 2017; Boulder, CO, USA; American broadcaster Bill Walton before the game between the Stanford Cardinals and the Colorado Buffaloes at the Coors Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 2, 2017; Boulder, CO, USA; American broadcaster Bill Walton before the game between the Stanford Cardinals and the Colorado Buffaloes at the Coors Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

The Golden State Warriors are an all-time great team, so that got me thinking.  Could the best five Portland Trail Blazers of all time hang with the Dubs?

The Golden State Warriors did not lose a single game in the Western Conference Playoffs on the way to their third straight NBA Finals appearance, with four of their 12 wins coming against a far-less talented Portland squad.

In their history, the Blazers have one championship and have had six Hall of Famers play for the team, so it’s not like they’re a team full of slouches.  It’s just that this Warriors team probably has four future hall-of-famers, too.

For the sake of this argument, here’s the all-time Blazers top five:

Point Guard: Damian Lillard

You could make a case for Terry Porter here, a great point guard in the 1990s for some really good Blazers teams.  Ultimately, Lillard has more offensive game and will be needed to hang with the Warriors.  Maybe Porter can coach the team.

Shooting Guard: Clyde Drexler

Clyde the Glide.  No doubt about it.  It’s not exactly a hot take to declare Drexler as the best to ever don a Blazers jersey.  We’re going to need him to be in 1988-1989 form if we want to take the series.

Small Forward: Scottie Pippen

Pippen’s tenure with Portland may have been brief, and he may not have been at the height of his powers without Michael Jordan by his side, but there’s no standout player at small forward in the history of the Blazers.  Jerome Kersey may be the runner-up, but I’m giving Pippen the leg up.

Power Forward: Maurice Lucas

Man, this was a tough call.  I was so tempted to take Rasheed Wallace here.  I love ‘Sheed, and it would have been nice to have that ability to stretch the floor.  It has to be Mo here, however.  His defense and rebounding will be incredibly important to this team.

Center: Bill Walton

We’re all in on defense.  Walton was a stud on defense in his prime, blocking 3.2 shots per game in 1976-77, while also hauling down 14.4 rebounds on a nightly basis.  He didn’t spend much time in Portland, but he’s the Blazers’ best option to take down the Warriors.

So, with all these players in their respective primes, just like the Warriors’ core, who takes a seven-game series?