NBA: Klay Thompson, Steph Curry lead Warriors past Trail Blazers

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, celebrates with guard Klay Thompson during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson scored 28 points, Stephen Curry had 27 and the Golden State Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 126-106 on Saturday for their fifth straight victory in the NBA.

The Splash Brothers combined for 22 points in the third quarter to pace the Warriors to a 12-point advantage to start the fourth. Thompson, who has scored at least 20 points in his last five games after a sluggish start, had 11 straight points in the quarter – hitting back-to-back 3s.

“I think over the last five games, he’s just taking better shots,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “And as a result, our team is more settled. We just feel like we’re operating more efficiently.”

Thompson said that every time he shoots the ball, “it’s a good shot.”

“It just seems to be going in at a higher frequency these last five, six games,” Thompson said.

Splash bros got buckets in the Warriors W 🎯

Steph: 27 PTS
Klay: 28 PTS, 6 3PM pic.twitter.com/GaRKaEETKe

— NBA (@NBA) December 24, 2023

Curry said that Thompson has been letting the game come to him in this recent stretch.

“Consistently, the ball is moving, he’s finding good looks — and that’s the Klay Thompson we know,” Curry said.

The five-game winning streak matches Golden State’s longest of the season. The Warriors improved to 15-14, their first time over .500 since Nov. 12 as they head into a Christmas showdown at the defending champion Denver Nuggets.

“Marquee game on Christmas, it’s going to be a great atmosphere,” Curry said. “We’ve been in that environment before, so understanding what it’s going be like on the road.”

Golden State improved to 3-0 against Portland this month, beating the Trail Blazers at home Dec. 6 and on the road Dec. 17.

Two dunks by Trayce Jackson-Davis and a 3-pointer by Brandin Podziemski to start the fourth put the Warriors comfortably ahead at 96-79 with 10:39 left in regulation.

Podziemski had 15 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, extending his streak of recording at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists to six straight games.

Kerr said the balance between the youngsters and veterans “is great this year.”

“The balance feels right,” Kerr said. “We’ve got a lot of options every night at our disposal as a staff and a lot of good players, so we’re able to survive injuries like we’ve done. But the group just feels right. We’ve got a really deep roster and guys who complement each other well.”

Anfernee Simons, after scoring a season-high 41 points against Washington on Thursday night, led Portland with 25 points. The Trail Blazers have lost nine of 10. They were without guard Shaedon Sharpe (right adductor soreness) for the second straight game.

Portland Chauncey Billups said his team failed to sustain what was a “really good start.” The Warriors outrebounded the Trail Blazers 49-30, and had 13 offensive rebounds.

“That team, they just kept wearing on you, kept getting rebounds, kept getting put-backs,” Billups said. “It was tough.”

UP NEXT

Trail Blazers: Host Sacramento on Tuesday night.

Warriors: At Denver on Monday.