Stephen Curry Drops 22 as Warriors Beat Short-Handed Trail Blazers
The Golden State Warriors capped a four-game homestand with a 104-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. Stephen Curry led the way with 22 points as Golden State improved to 21-4.
Curry, who entered the game 16 three-pointers away from breaking Ray Allen's all-time record, shot 6-of-17 from downtown and now trails Allen by nine. The Warriors finished their stay at the Chase Center with a 3-1 record.
The Blazers fell to 11-15 and have now lost four straight games and seven of their last eight. Norman Powell had a team-high 26 points in the loss. Portland was without its starting backcourt of Damian Lillard (abdomen) and CJ McCollum (collapsed lung).
Notable Player Stats
G Stephen Curry, GSW: 22 points
G Jordan Poole, GSW: 20 points
F Norman Powell, POR: 26 points
Dubs Regain Composure After Curry's Record-Chase Distracts Early
It appeared as though one thing was clearly on Golden State's mind to start the game, and it was to get Curry his three-point record.
The Warriors offense lacked fluidity as Curry chucked up triples at an inefficient rate. He made just two of his first nine three-point attempts and finished the first half 4-of-12. Only one of his field-goal attempts came from inside the arc in the first two quarters.
Golden State was able to pull away in the second half once the players settled in and got back to running the offense the way they have throughout the season. The Warriors' ball movement improved as they had seven assists on their nine field goals in the third quarter.
Jordan Poole and Otto Porter Jr. each had eight points in the frame.
Golden State shot 16-of-33 (48.4 percent) in the second half, but its game total of 33-of-83 (39.8 percent) was its worst shooting night of the season.
The Warriors were never in danger of losing Wednesday's game, earning their third wire-to-wire win of the season. But they let an undermanned Blazers team hang around early because of a lack of focus on offense.
Once Golden State regained its composure, it showed why it is considered to be among the top contenders for an NBA title this season.
Blazers Run Out of Gas in 2nd Half
Portland was able to keep the game close early on thanks in large part to the sloppiness of the Warriors. Nassir Little was on his way to a career night with 18 points in the first half.
But Little went down with a cramp in his calf early in the third quarter and did not return to the game. From there, the Blazers just didn't have enough firepower to keep up with the Warriors.
Powell did his best to keep the game competitive, scoring 16 of his 26 points in the second half. But he was the only one to have anything going as Portland shot 7-of-21 in the third quarter.
Five players scored in double figures for the Blazers, but the team struggled from three-point land and shot just 8-of-30 (26.7 percent) from beyond the arc in the game.
Replacing the production of Lillard and McCollum is no easy task, but Portland needs to figure out an identity on offense while the two of them are out. The Blazers are in danger of falling behind in a competitive Western Conference.
What's Next?
The Warriors will embark on a five-game Eastern Conference road trip starting Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Blazers will return home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
