Klay Thompson Leads Warriors To 128-108 Win Over Trail Blazers
PORTLAND (CBS/AP) -- Klay Thompson scored 36 points, making seven 3-pointers, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 128-108 on Friday night for their fifth straight victory.
Reigning league MVP Stephen Curry added 26 points and nine assists in three quarters for the Warriors (34-2), who led by as many as 25 points and made 18 3-pointers. Draymond Green finished with 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his eighth triple-double of the season.
Curry started despite continued soreness from a bruised left shin that kept him out of a pair of games late last month. He aggravated the injury again when he crashed into Roy Hibbert on Tuesday night and sat out the fourth quarter of Golden State's 109-98 victory at the Los Angeles Lakers.
Damian Lillard had a season-high 40 points and 10 assists for Portland, which dropped its third straight.
The Warriors remained unbeaten since a 114-91 defeat at Dallas on Dec. 30.
Portland was coming off a 109-98 loss at home to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. The loss was notable because starter CJ McCollum was mistakenly left off the active roster turned in before the game and was forced to sit out.
The Warriors jumped out to a 12-2 lead at the start while Portland missed its first nine shots from the field. There was a brief tense moment when Curry collided with Noah Vonleh and came up gingerly.
Green's fast-break dunk put the Warriors up 24-9 and Thompson had five 3-pointers and 19 points in the opening quarter as Golden State led 38-21.
The Warriors led 74-52 at the break, but Portland opened the third quarter with a 12-4 to cut the margin to 78-65. The threat was short-lived and Golden State stretched the lead to 90-67 after Brandon Rush's 3-pointer.
It was Thompson's third straight game with 30 or more points. Rush had a season-high 20 points.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Interim coach Luke Walton said he met with his Hall of Fame dad Bill for about an hour before the game. The elder Walton, a broadcaster, is in Oregon for the California-Oregon State game on Saturday. Bill Walton was on the Blazers' NBA championship team in 1977. ... Forward James Michael McAdoo is sitting out two games because of a toe injury.
Trail Blazers: Portland is one of the few teams that knows what it's like to beat Golden State. The Trail Blazers beat the Warriors 118-101 in the preseason despite 30 points from Curry.
KERR IN PORTLAND
Coach Steve Kerr, who is on a leave of absence following offseason back surgery, has recently been traveling with the team and was in Portland. Luke Walton laughed before the game when it was suggested he was wearing an earpiece during games and taking Kerr's instructions.
"It's a part of what makes it so great to work for Steve as an assistant: He trusts us," Walton said.
UP NEXT
The Warriors play the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.
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