Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, and guard Brandin Podziemski celebrate at the end of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore., Thursday, April 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
PORTLAND, Oregon — Stephen Curry had 22 points and the Golden State Warriors rallied down the stretch for a 100-92 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on in the NBA Thursday night.
Jonathan Kuminga added 19 points for the Warriors, who had a 16-1 run in the final quarter for their third straight win and ninth in the last 10 games. Golden State has already clinched a play-in spot but can potentially improve its playoff seeding in the final two games.
“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,” Curry said. “We just competed and that last six minutes was hard-nosed basketball. That’s what it took to win.”
READ: NBA: Warriors down Lakers for key win in Anthony Davis’ absence
Deandre Ayton led Portland with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Scoot Henderson had 18 points and 12 assists. It was his eighth game this season with at least 10 assists, which leads all rookies.
The Trail Blazers, sitting in second-to-last in the Western Conference, have won just two of their last 15 games.
Steph Curry delivers from downtown to extend the Warriors lead late 🎯pic.twitter.com/44ltq3bdYO
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 12, 2024
Neither team was able to lead by more than single digits through the first three quarters. Kris Murray made a 3-pointer that gave the Blazers an 85-79 lead with just more than nine minutes left. Curry’s 3 narrowed it for the Warriors.
Curry’s pullup jumper tied it at 86. Kevon Looney added a free throw before Curry made another 3 to make it 90-86 with 4:42 to go, and the Warriors led the rest of the way.
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“Steph’s done that a million times so it never surprises you. Obviously, wasn’t his best shooting night but he made some big ones down the stretch,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We played him more than we wanted but we got it done.”
With the victory the Warriors (45-35) surpassed their win total from last season, when they went to the conference semifinals.
“It’s a loaded conference. Everybody’s good,” Kerr said. “It’s just tough to make up ground.”
Golden State was coming off a 134-120 victory over the Lakers on Tuesday night. Klay Thompson scored 27 points and the Warriors made a season-high 26 3-pointers.
Thompson was unavailable against the Blazers because of right knee tendonitis. Draymond Green (right knee contusion) and Gary Payton II (left calf tightness) were also unavailable.
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, left, drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers guard Ashton Hagans, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, April 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
The Blazers (21-59) have been inundated all year by injuries and they sat several players as the season wound down. Among those on the bench were Anfernee Simons (right knee tendonitis) Jerami Grant (right hamstring strain) and Matisse Thybulle (right ankle).
Portland led 19-12 in the opening quarter, but overall it was close for most of the first half and Golden State took a 49-46 lead into the break.
It was back-and-forth throughout the third quarter. Ayton’s jumper from out front knotted the game at 54 for the Blazers, but Andrew Wiggins answered with a 3-pointer for Golden State.
The Blazers went up 64-62 on Henderson’s floater but the lead was short-lived and the Warriors led 75-74 going into the final period.
“They’re all going though the same maturation process,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said about his young players. “They’re playing their butts off, they’re playing hard as hell, they’re giving me everything they’ve got, which I love. And they’re tired as heck right now.”
NEXT NBA SCHEDULE
Warriors: Host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night, wrapping up Golden State’s league-high 17th back-to-back of the the season. The Warriors host Utah on Sunday to wrap up the regular season.
Trail Blazers: Host the Houston Rockets on Friday night before visiting the Kings on Sunday in the final game of the season.