BY ROBERT KREMERS
OAKLAND, CALIF -- The Portland Trail Blazers (6-5), led by Greg Oden and Brandon Roy’s combined 44 points, lost 111-106 to the Golden State Warriors (5-6) at Oracle Arena in front of 18,284 Tuesday night. The Trail Blazers finished the five-game road trip 3-2.
The Trail Blazers have been one of the best teams in terms of holding onto the ball this season, they but committed 21 turnovers tonight, which lead to 22 Golden State points.
“I felt (turnovers) were going to be a key tonight," said Nate McMillan. "We needed to do a real good job of taking care of the ball and be patient offensively because we would have some matchups that we could go to and some shots that we could take. We just need to slow down and execute. We threw the ball all over the place."
Additionally, the Trail Blazers defense was not able to contain the Warriors up-tempo play, giving up 22 fast-break points to the home team.
While trying to slow down the Warriors, the Trail Blazers also committed 32 personal fouls to the Warriors 24. The Warriors shot 35 free throws and made 33 of them which sealed the victory.
Greg Oden finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks while grabbing his second career double-double and setting a career high in points. Brandon Roy tallied 22 points, nine assists, four rebounds and four steals, including a key steal that gave the Trail Blazers a chance in a late game comeback attempt.
The Warriors’ lead fluctuated up and down, but the Trail Blazers were never able to overcome it.
With a minute left in the game, the Trail Blazers found themselves down five points. Due to Oden’s presence in the paint, the Warriors stayed close to him and let Travis Outlaw drive right down the middle of the key for a one-handed dunk to cut the Warriors’ lead to three at 101-104.
The Warriors next shot missed; however C.J. Watson secured the rebound and made two free throws to push the lead back to five.
Down five points with the Warriors inbounding under the Trail Blazers’ hoop, Brandon Roy stole the inbounds pass and easily laid it up. On the next inbounds pass, Outlaw was able to tip the ball out of bounds off the Warriors, giving the Trail Blazers a chance to cut the lead to one. Outlaw was then fouled on the ensuing possession with 5.6 seconds left and made both of his free throws, but he stepped over the line on the second attempt, making it 108-106 Golden State.
The Warriors finished out the game at the free throw line and pulled away 111-106.
The Trail Blazers head back to Portland to take on the Chicago Bulls who will also playing on a back-to-back Wednesday night on Comcast SportsNet Channel 37 and ESPN starting at 7:30 p.m. Brian Wheeler and Antonio Harvey will have the radio call on 95.5 The Game and on all of the stations of the Trail Blazers Radio Network.
