I understand there is usually a feeling out process during the first game of a playoff series. But I still see this total as being short.

Portland has adjusted to being without big man Jusuf Nurkic by going short playing without a center. Nurkic's status is questionable versus the Warriors. But I like the total to go over regardless if he plays or not because the Trail Blazers still are going to play small ball. Golden State, of course, is the ultimate small ball team so there's going to be an up-and-down pace.

The Trail Blazers were the eighth-highest scoring team in the NBA averaging nearly 108 points a game. They also were well below average defensively ranking 25th in scoring defense and 27th in defending 3-pointers. Golden State led the NBA in scoring and shooting percentage while also ranking third in 3-point shooting. If you discount a 99-point performance against Utah, the top defensive team in the league, the Warriors averaged 117 points in their last eight games.

The Warriors enter this matchup with their top nine players healthy, a rarity for them. Kevin Durant has been back for three games now. The rust is off. Durant served notice he's back to his dominant scoring way by going for 29 points in 27 minutes during the Warriors' final regular season game.

When they've had Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala on the court at the same time, the Warriors have outscored foes by an average of 23.9 points per 100 possessions. This is a lineup the Trail Blazers can't slow down.

The two teams also have a strong over bias when playing each other with the over cashing 18 of the past 24 times.