PORTLAND – With the specter of the dreaded play-in match looming over the Warriors, Golden State’s matchup in Portland on Friday night time was a must-win sport in the whole lot however title.
So was there any doubt that the Warriors veterans – with their Corridor of Fame legacies solid in video games of the best stakes – would care for enterprise in opposition to the severely undermanned Blazers?
Towards a Portland squad lacking its prime six scorers, the Warriors routed the house crew 103-86.
Jimmy Butler led the best way with 24 factors and made all 10 of his free throws, whereas Steph Curry put in 14. Draymond Inexperienced scored simply three factors, however contributed seven rebounds, 5 assists and a whopping 4 steals. Buddy Hield scored 16 off the bench and joined the 200 3-pointers made in a season membership.
Golden State improved to 48-33.
Elsewhere, Minnesota (48-33) defeated the hapless Nets to maintain tempo with the Warriors. Memphis (47-34) misplaced to Denver (49-33), guaranteeing that the Grizzlies can be within the play-in match.
With one sport to play, Golden State will end no worse than seventh and no larger than fifth.
If the Warriors defeat the Clippers within the Bay Space on Sunday, the bottom the Warriors can end is sixth, one spot above the play-in slot.
The Warriors rebounded from Wednesday’s stunning 114-11 loss to the visiting Spurs, which noticed former Golden State champion Harrison Barnes hit a 27-foot buzzer-beating fadeaway over Jimmy Butler.
Gary Payton II and Quinten Put up, who had each missed the previous two video games, returned to the rotation.
Regardless that the ultimate rating was lopsided, that didn’t imply that the sport on the Moda Heart lacked drama.
The Warriors suffered a quick scare within the first quarter when Curry went again to the locker room with 1:59 remaining within the interval after hitting his thumb on Portland defender Justin Minaya’s knee on a drive.
Curry returned halfway by the second quarter with a wrap round his proper hand. The 37-year-old beforehand handled a thumb damage in January.
Golden State led 26-20 after one quarter and 50-37 at halftime.
The Warriors used a 17-3 run within the third quarter to drag away. The Blazers acquired it inside 14 late within the third, however a Butler and-1 reverse layup stopped the bleeding.
