Ezeli remains ready after strong Game 2 performance.
Backup center looks to be called on again after sparking Game 2 win
OAKLAND — Steve Kerr eased the minds of Warriors fans everywhere when he confirmed Thursday that, yes, Festus Ezeli will play in Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.
Stephen Curry might be getting much of the attention as he rehabilitates his injured right knee, but among the two, it’s Ezeli who played a major role in giving Golden State a 2-0 lead in its Western Conference semifinal series.
Ezeli was a spark off the bench in Tuesday’s Game 2 comeback victory, providing eight points, six rebounds, one block and loads of defensive energy. He received those second-half minutes — his first of the series — because of the first-half struggles of fellow reserve big men Anderson Varejao and Marreese Speights.
“When the first half didn’t go so well, we made the decision at halftime to give Festus an opportunity,” Kerr said Thursday at practice. “We knew that was going to happen at some point, but Game 1 just felt like an Anderson type game and Game 2 we wanted to give Festus a shot and he played great, so he’ll obviously play in Game 3.”
If Ezeli did any sulking after he didn’t see the court in Game 1, it wasn’t obvious and he answered the call when he got his shot.
“I’m always ready. I’m always prepared,” Ezeli said. “(Kerr’s) been telling me since Game 1 to just stay ready. Based on matchups and the way we’ve been playing, he just wasn’t able to get me in there.
“Last game he saw fit to have me in there and he put me in and I brought energy to the team. Hopefully moving forward, there’s more situations where I’m needed.”
Ezeli can be a bit of a conundrum because he’s by far the most athletic of the Warriors’ centers, but when he’s out of sorts he can turn into a liability. He had three turnovers in 11 minutes in Golden State’s clinching Game 5 win over the Houston Rockets in the first round, a series that was far from his best.
He was admittedly rusty, having played only the final six regular-season games after missing the previous 31 because of surgery on his left knee.
“My timing was a little off and it’s better every game,” Ezeli said. “This is winning time right now, so there’s really no time for excuses, so I need to get back faster.”
The rest of the playoffs are important for Ezeli, who will be a restricted free agent this summer and could set himself up for a nice payday. He’s also planning to play for his native Nigeria in the Olympics.
n Warriors guard Klay Thompson spent a good chunk of his childhood in Portland, where his father, Mychal, began his NBA career with the Trail Blazers and settled after his playing days.
Now, with the series shifting locations for the next two games, Thompson is looking forward to his first postseason action in the NBA arena he grew to know so well while attending games growing up in the Portland area following his dad’s playing days.
“It’s special for me,” Thompson said. “I never thought I’d be playing in the playoffs up there as a kid. It’s going to be a great moment for me up there. I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”
Thompson, among other things, is looking forward to visiting his favorite fastfood joint, Burgerville.
“They’ve got the best cheeseburgers,” he said. “It’s unbelievable. I won’t eat it until the end of the trip, though, because I’m on a strict playoff diet.”
But aside from knowing the spots to eat and having some family around, the trip is a serious one.
“Obviously it’s a business trip,” Thompson said. “Treat it that way. You want to treat it as a must-win because you have history on your side if you go up 3-0. We know how tough it is up there to play, especially in the playoffs.”
As Thompson points out, no team in NBA history has won a series after trailing 3-0.