McCollum, Lillard combine for 48 points in blazing 1st half vs. Warriors

You're always running uphill when you're playing against the Golden State Warriors, and there may be no greater proof of that than the first half of Sunday's Game 1 between the Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers.

The eighth-seeded Blazers played the league-best Warriors to a draw through two quarters, but needed otherworldly performances from both members of their starting backcourt in order to do so.

C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard combined to score 48 of their team's 56 points before halftime, the highest total they've ever collectively produced in any half. McCollum's tally also matched a Blazers franchise record for scoring in a playoff half.

McCollum dropped 27 on 11-of-15 shooting, while Lillard added 21 on 6-of-11. And they weren't exactly easy looks, either. McCollum scored on a variety of snaking drives and finished crazy, well-defended layups and floaters in the paint. Lillard hit a few of those, too, plus some of his patented, stop-on-a-dime, quick-release pullup jumpers.

McCollum's tally also matched a Blazers franchise record for scoring in a playoff half. If he and Lillard can sustain that kind of production throughout, well, the Blazers might be able to make this a series.