Trail Blazers-Warriors Preview

By JORDAN GARRETSON
Posted Jan 11 2013 3:24AM

The Golden State Warriors are trying to bounce back from two straight losses for only the second time this season. After being dominated in the paint twice, they'll try to shore up their interior defense Friday night when they host the Portland Trail Blazers, who have won four in a row.

Golden State (22-12) strung together four consecutive wins before losing to the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis, the team's first back-to-back losses since Nov. 9 and 10. Shoddy defense taxed the Warriors in both defeats as they allowed 48.9 percent field-goal shooting to teams they're chasing in the Western Conference standings.

"We played two teams who we are trying to chase," said Stephen Curry, who averages a team-high 20.2 points. "Two teams who are right there in front of us in the standings who we understand have been playing great basketball just like we have. There is no need to panic. ... We just have to keep grinding and play 48 minutes."

Golden State's defense was exploited inside in both games. The Warriors allow an average of 40.8 points in the paint, but gave up 56 to the Clippers on Saturday and 60 in Wednesday's 94-87 loss to the Grizzlies. Golden State is 5-10 when yielding at least 41 points in the paint and 17-2 when allowing 40 or fewer.

"That's the strength of their team, is grinding in the paint and offensive rebounding," said David Lee, who has double-doubles in 11 of his last 14 games against Portland, including each of the last three. "It's disappointing, because that's been one of our strengths throughout the season, and we've just got to come back and do a better job of it next game."

It could have better luck against Portland, which ranks 28th in the league with an average of 35.9 points in the paint, but the Trail Blazers are brimming with confidence after rallying to defeat Miami 92-90 on Thursday.

Portland (20-15), which trailed by as many 12 in the fourth quarter, took its first lead since the opening minutes on Wesley Matthews' 3-pointer with 26.9 seconds left. Nicolas Batum had a team-high 28 points while LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Blazers, winners of 12 of 15.

"Our confidence is extremely high," said Matthews, who is averaging 22.3 points in his last four games - 6.6 better than his season average. "Playing hard, playing well, we're having fun out there. So that's a great combination."

One of the reasons Portland is finding its rhythm is the play of Damian Lillard. He leads all rookies in scoring (18.0 per game) and assists (6.5) and will be playing in his hometown of Oakland for the first time.

"I think he's the Rookie of the Year," Miami's LeBron James said of Lillard. "He's exceeded all expectations and more. I think he will become great."

Lillard will be looking to lead the Trail Blazers to their fourth straight win over the Warriors after dropping the previous four meetings.

Portland is playing solid perimeter defense, holding its last eight opponents to 31.0 percent 3-point shooting, but it could have its hands full against Golden State.

Curry and Klay Thompson are second and third, respectively, in the NBA in 3-pointers made with 103 and 93. Both are shooting particularly well over the last nine games, with Curry going 38 of 72 (52.8 percent) and Thompson knocking down 29 of 60 (48.3).

Curry helps Warriors hold off Trail Blazers 103-97

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Posted Jan 12 2013 2:01AM

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Stephen Curry wasn't as impressed with Golden State's latest win as much as he was concerned over how it nearly got away.

That's how far the expectations have risen for these Warriors.

Curry made two important free throws with 16.4 seconds left and Golden State overcame a phenomenal fourth quarter by Portland rookie Damian Lillard to beat the Trail Blazers 103-97 on Friday night.

Lillard, an Oakland native, scored 29 of his career-high 37 points in the second half and nearly helped the Blazers overcome a 20-point deficit before the Warriors held on.

"For 2 1/2 quarters we had control of the game ... then Lillard got hot," said Curry, who finished with 22 points and 12 assists. "Not to take away from his night, he made the shots. But we've got to find a way to stop a guy when he has it going like that."

Lillard's outburst in the final quarter overshadowed what had been an otherwise sluggish night by Portland's offense. The Blazers missed 27 of their first 35 attempts, went 15 of 43 overall on 3-pointers and committed 13 turnovers.

Conversely, Golden State had five players in double figures and shot 47.7 percent for the game.

"This is preparing us," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "Where we expect to go, in these games, you are going to have to find a way to stop special players, and this is great preparation for us."

David Lee had 24 points and 10 rebounds and helped shut down Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge in a matchup of two of the top power forwards in the Western Conference. Aldridge had just seven points on 3-of-14 shooting.

Klay Thompson scored 16 points, Carl Landry added 15 and Harrison Barnes had 13 points and seven rebounds for Golden State.

The Warriors led by 20 in the second half before Lillard nearly rallied the Blazers. He scored 17 in the fourth quarter and made a pair of deep 3-pointers, including his seventh of the night that cut Golden State's lead to 100-97 with 22.5 seconds remaining.

Curry then made two free throws and Jarrett Jack added one to seal the win.

"I think we were flat," Lillard said. "I had a game like this in college but that ended up with a win. That's why this is bittersweet."

Golden State snapped a two-game losing streak and continued its surprising turnaround from a year ago. The win over Portland helped the Warriors match their win total (23) from last season and helped maintain their second-place spot in the Pacific Division.

They needed another strong night from Curry to hold off a pesky Blazers team that was thoroughly outplayed for three quarters before making a late run.

Curry shot just 7 for 22 but had seven points in the fourth quarter, though he was nearly overshadowed by Lillard.

Lillard went 15 of 22 from the floor and made a career-best seven 3s to go with six rebounds and four assists. A small but vocal crowd of supporters chanted his name at various times in the game, growing louder with each bucket he made in the fourth quarter.

It wasn't enough for the Blazers, who had won three straight against the Warriors.

"We didn't have much going in the first half," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "Damian started to get it going and we rode on his shoulders. We opened it up for him."

Lee scored 13 points in the first half and helped hold Aldridge to three points before the break. Lee had seven points during a 10-2 run that helped the Warriors take a 50-35 halftime lead.

The early hole ruined Stotts' plan of resting his starters. Aldridge played 43 minutes, Lillard played 42 and Wesley Matthews was in for 36. The trio combined to go 21 of 54.

The Blazers were sluggish from the start on both ends of the court, had trouble getting the ball inside and missed 36 of their first 47 shots from the floor. Their frustrations boiled over when Matthews received a technical foul after yelling at an official following a turnover.

Golden State led 67-47 midway through the third quarter before Lillard scored eight straight points early in the fourth to pull Portland to 82-74.

NOTES: Portland attempted 43 3-pointers, the most ever against Golden State. ... Lee had his NBA-leading 15th game of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. ... The Warriors played without backup center Andris Biedrins (groin pull).

Notebook: Warriors 103, Blazers 97

Geoff Lepper, for NBA.com
Posted Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:06 AM - Updated Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:06 AM

THE FACTS: Making his first professional appearance in his hometown of Oakland, Portland Trail Blazers rookie Damian Lillard stole the show Friday. The Golden State Warriors weren't going to let him steal the victory, however.

Lillard, the No. 6 pick in this year's draft, scored a career-high 37 points but couldn't quite drag the Blazers all the way back from a 20-point third-quarter deficit and the Warriors hung on to win 103-97.

David Lee led Golden State with 24 points and 10 rebounds, his league-best 15th game with at least 20 and 10 in those categories. Stephen Curry contributed 22 points and 12 assists for the Warriors, who broke a two-game losing streak.

Lillard missed seven straight shots and was 3-for-11 on the night before exploding for 29 points over the game's final 16 1/2 minutes. He went 12-for-14 and 5-for-7 on 3-pointers in that stretch, an unstoppable display that almost snatched a fifth straight victory for Portland.

Lillard's teammates weren't able to match his brilliance, however. The rest of the Trail Blazers shot just 29.9 percent from the floor, including a combined 6-for-29 performance from LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews.

QUOTABLE: "Eleven turnovers; we took care of the basketball. Twenty-eight assists; we were unselfish on the offensive end. This is preparing us. Like I told my guys, where we expect to go, in these games, you are going to have to find a way to stop special players, and this is great preparation for us."
-- Warriors coach Mark Jackson

THE STAT: Portland's 43 3-point attempts were the second-most by any squad in the NBA this season, the most by any Blazers team since 1985-86 and an all-time record for a Warriors opponent.

TURNING POINT: The Warriors' lead -- 67-47 at its highest, with 5:36 remaining in the third quarter -- had melted to a mere four points after Nicolas Batum's tip-in with 44.5 seconds left. Golden State held the ball to drain some block before finding a cutting Curry en route to the basket. Curry drew a second defender and then deftly slipped the ball to Carl Landry, who drained a twisting layup at the 24.7-second mark to make it 100-94, Golden State. Lillard dropped one last 3-pointer, but the Warriors converted three of four free throws to ice proceedings.

QUOTABLE II: "I had a game like this in college, but that ended up with a win. That's why this is bittersweet."
-- Damian Lillard

HOT: When Lillard connected on a falling-down jumper at the 4:16 mark of the third quarter, it seemed more like a lucky break than a harbinger of what was to come. But the former Weber State star knocked down a 3-opinter with his next attempt, and soon it was off the races. Portland coach Terry Stotts went small, using Aldridge for only 5:30 of the final 14:52 and not playing starting center J.J. Hickson over the game's last 18 minutes, forcing the Warriors to defend shooters on the 3-point arc and opening lanes for Lillard to exploit. He finished 15-for-25 on the evening.

QUOTABLE III: "It was a special period of basketball by [Lillard]. As a fan, I'm sure it was fun to watch. All I can do is look on the other end and shake my head and [Portland] coach [Terry] Stotts said, 'He's pretty good, ain't he?' But so's my guy. When you put together 22 and 12 and play all those minutes being the guy trying to contain him -- it was a special battle."
-- Mark Jackson

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Landry had an especially efficient night off the bench for the Warriors, providing 15 points on 7-for-11 shooting and collecting seven rebounds in 23 minutes.

BAD MOVE: It was a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't kind of night for Stotts, who knew he had to get significant rest at some point along the way for a quartet of players who went at least 40 minutes Thursday in beating Miami: Aldridge, Batum, Lillard and Matthews. Portland trailed by seven when Stotts pulled the last of that group with 29.9 seconds left in the first quarter; by the time the majority of them were back on the court in the second period, the Trail Blazers were down 17 -- 39-22 some 7:10 from halftime.

NOT: Tired or not, the Trail Blazers missed a wide array of absolute gimmies and wide-open jumpers in the first half, when Portland was held to 11-for-47 from the floor (23.4 percent) and 4-for-19 (21.1 percent) from behind the arc.

ROOKIE WATCH: Warriors forward Harrison Barnes started fast before becoming a bit of a footnote, but still finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

NOTABLE: Portland shot 38.0 percent as a team, and the Warriors improved to 9-1 when they hold the opposition to less than 40.0 this season.. . . This is Golden State's best start since going 26-10 to open the 1991-92 season.

UP NEXT: For the Trail Blazers, Sunday vs. Oklahoma City, Tuesday @ Denver, Wednesday vs. Cleveland. For the Warriors, Sunday @ Denver, Wednesday vs. Miami, Friday @ San Antonio.

• Trail Blazers: Leonard, Williams
• Warriors: Bogut, Rush

• Trail Blazers: Matthews
• Warriors: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: ORACLE Arena, Oakland, CA
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #61 Courtney Kirkland, #44 Eli Roe
• Attendance: 19596
• Duration: 2:07