The Portland Trailblazers. Alas

After a not-so-surprising opening round playoff win over the Oklahoma City Thunder -- Russell Westbrook continues to trash talk but can't seem to win anything -- the Portland Trailblazers mildly stunned many (yours truly included) by knocking off the favored Denver Nuggets.

Only those pesky Golden State Warriors stood between them and a trip to the NBA Finals.

To boot, the Warriors were without the service of Demarcus Cousins (out for the year with a torn Achilles tendon), and super-star Kevin Durant (still hobbled by a strained calf).

And in Game Three of that series, already down 2-0, the Blazers saw Andre Iguodala of the Dubs go down with another calf injury, severity unknown. They still lost, after blowing a big lead.

With the Warriors down three starters, surely the Blazers could at least win Game Four to avert a sweep, right? Especially, given they were playing on their home court, where they're very tough.

Wrong.

Once again, they built a huge lead, seventeen points, midway through the third quarter.

And then the wheels fell off -- again.

The Dubs came roaring back to send the game into overtime, and finally won it.

So given all the above advantages, Portland STILL couldn't beat those guys?  Not even once?

That's got to be disheartening.

Or maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

Or maybe Golden State is just..... that..... good.

Kudos to Steph Curry and Draymond Green, the fist teammates in NBA history to both get triple-doubles in a playoff game.

That might have had something to do with it.......

And now the Warriors get a full nine days off, so sit back and study the Milwaukee Bucks, the presumed winners of the Eastern Conference Final against the Toronto Raptors.

And rest.

And get healthy again. (Except for Cousins).

These guys are going to be their usual load in the Finals.