OAKLAND, Calif. – At every level of competition, from youth to the NBA, Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia is known for his toughness and playmaking ability. So after he made a hard-charging play in traffic late in Thursday's Game 3 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers that may have injured Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, it was only a matter of time before they crossed paths in the hallway outside of the visiting locker room. "I was looking for some toughness," Pachulia said. "Somehow, he found it as well. I saw he had some bleeding in his mouth, so I don’t know how he’s even standing." After a post-whistle skirmish in the second quarter, Pachulia ran from the Warriors' bench down the length of the floor, reaching Lillard to defend the potential game-tying shot. In the process, Pachulia got his left elbow up high, and took a shot to the face. He said the elbow made contact with Lillard's mouth and that a tooth was knocked loose. "That happens sometimes when I get the ball and I get on somebody," Lillard said. "Sometimes I go to fight for position, so I kind of throw a little elbow or whatever to try to get the ball. I've been in that position before, where it goes in. That's just part of the game." Lillard, who did not return to the game, did not appear to be in any discomfort after the play, which didn't draw a foul and didn't result in a stoppage. Game 4 is Saturday night at Oracle Arena. Warriors, Blazers are back where they started The Blazers' three-game winning streak against the Warriors was snapped last month. At that time, it appeared as if the Dubs and Blazers would have a re-match in the Western Conference Finals, especially after a 103-82 Game 4 victory at home on May 15. But Portland has lost the last three meetings with Golden State, including Games 1 and 3 of the Western Conference semifinals. Meanwhile, the Warriors have won the past two Game 3s. The Warriors did not face elimination in either of those wins, but the Blazers did suffer elimination at Portland's hands when they won the first two games in the 2016 Western Conference semifinals and the Dubs had to come back in Oakland. That first meeting in Portland, in Game 6, was the only meeting between these teams where the home team won. "I felt like we were the better team, but we didn’t execute the way we wanted to," Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic said. "Last game, we were definitely more aggressive. This time we probably weren’t very aggressive. We have to be more aggressive, that’s what we’ve got to do. We know they’re going to make adjustments, so we have to stay aggressive and use that aggression. Be stronger inside, so they can’t score on us." After a Game 1 victory at home in Portland last season, the Warriors won Game 2 on the road, then won Game 3 in the Blazers' home court. Then came Game 4 in Oakland, in which Warriors center Andrew Bogut had the final big play of a 109-105 victory that pushed Golden State to the Western Conference Finals. Bogut blocked a 3-point attempt by Lillard with 7.9 seconds left. "Last year, you win in Portland, then you get to Oakland, then you get to Portland," Pachulia said. "We know it’s going to be a tough road. We just got to go out there and we got to win. We’re focused, not just tonight but for the next two games." [RELATED: Warriors-Blazers Game 4 preview] The Warriors-Blazers rivalry hasn't been too volatile in recent years, but this is a tight series on the court and on Twitter. This one had its share of tempers flaring early in the fourth quarter when Warriors guard Kevin Durant fouled Lillard on a breakaway in the lane, which allowed Lillard to shoot two free throws. But the tension had more to do with Durant, who made comments about the timing of officials following Game 2. Pachulia then defended Durant's comments, and there was a brief exchange between the two. "We didn’t disrespect Portland at all," Pachulia said. "We respect Portland, we all respect Portland. I know you know that, everybody knows that. That’s just one of those things that happens in the game, you know. Sometimes players get a little excited or whatever and they say something. They should never disrespect another team. They were wrong for that. That’s one thing. The game goes on. You can’t focus on what one player says." Durant apologized to Lillard in the Warriors' locker room, but the play in question was replayed on the Warriors' arena video boards and the NBA's official Instagram account. Pachulia addressed Durant's comments, and was also fined $25,000 by the NBA for complaining about a foul call. "I think I'm entitled to say it," Pachulia said. "What he said wasn't the worst, but what he said was really bad. I don’t think he said it the way he should have. But I don’t think he should be fined, either. I'm still not understanding that." Nurkic (left foot) questionable vs. Warrior duo Since their game-day meeting in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, the Warriors made the decision to go small with a seven-man rotation that has been key to their success. Bogut is now serving as the front-court anchor, but the Warriors aren't limiting their three-guard look, and it's worked well. And then they have some big men that can keep up with center Nurkic and make him defend from the perimeter. Nurkic, one of the most mobile and gifted bigs in the league, is playing hurt. He had an MRI on his left foot following a sprained left ankle suffered in Game 1. He also has a right knee issue. And those don't sound good for the Warriors. "Jusuf's out there, he's not going to be 100 percent all the time," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Our big guys have a tough matchup with him, for sure." This was Nurkic's toughest challenge yet this season. He had a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds in Game 1, but in the three games in Portland he was held to 7 points on 3-of-9 shooting.