Portland, Oregon — Stephen Curry scored 22 points and the Golden State Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 100-92 on Thursday. Jonathan Kuminga scored 19 points for the Warriors, who won their third straight and ninth in 10 games with a 16-1 fourth-quarter outburst. Golden State already has a play-in place but can improve its playoff seeding in the final two games.
Curry said, “You know they’re going to play hard and with a lot of energy and for the most part it worked for about 42 minutes, but we just got really disciplined down the stretch, had great point of attack defense. “We competed and played hard-nosed basketball in the last six minutes. Winning required that.”
Ayton led Portland with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Henderson had 18 points and 12 assists. He led rookies with 10 assists in eight games this season. Portland, second-to-bottom in the Western Conference, has won only two of its last 15 games.
Through three quarters, neither team led by more than a few points. The Blazers led 85-79 with nine minutes left after Kris Murray scored a 3-pointer. A Curry 3 narrowed it for the Warriors. Curry's pullup jumper knotted it at 86. Kevon Looney added a free throw before Curry sank another 3 to make it 90-86 with 4:42 left, and the Warriors led the rest of the way.
Steph's done that a million times, so it's expected. It wasn't his best shooting night, but he made some important shots late, said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “We played him more than we wanted but won.” Winning 45-35, the Warriors exceeded their win total from previous season's conference playoffs.
“A packed conference. Kerr said everyone was fine. “Just tough to make up ground.” Golden State beat the Lakers 134-120 on Tuesday. Klay Thompson scored 27 and the Warriors made a season-high 26 3-pointers.
Right knee tendinitis kept Thompson out against the Blazers. Gary Payton II (left calf stiffness) and Draymond Green (right knee contusion) were also out. Injuries plagued the Blazers (21-59) all season, forcing them to sit key players. The bench included Anfernee Simons (right knee tendinitis), Jerami Grant (right hamstring strain), and Matisse Thybulle (right ankle).
Portland led 19-12 in the first quarter, but Golden State led 49-46 at halftime. The third quarter was back-and-forth. After Ayton's front-court jumper tied the game at 54, Andrew Wiggins hit a 3-pointer for Golden State.
Henderson's floater put the Blazers up 64-62, but the Warriors led 75-74 heading into the fourth. "They're all maturing," Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said of his youthful players. I appreciate that they're playing hard and giving me everything. Now they're exhausted.”
stay turned for development