featured-image
(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

Dubs Come Up Just Short in Portland

An 11-0 Portland Trail Blazers run in the fourth quarter propelled the Blazers to a 125-122 victory over the Golden State Warriors at Moda Center on Wednesday night.

The Dubs almost made a comeback in the final 40 seconds of action. Trailing by seven points, Donte DiVincenzo knocked down a 3-pointer with 33 seconds left to cut the Warriors deficit to four. On the ensuing possession, Portland had trouble crossing midcourt, and DiVincenzo was able to knock the ball away. Andrew Wiggins came up with it and raced toward the basket, and with Anfernee Simons in front of him, Wiggins found DiVincenzo for an open look from three. DiVincenzo's triple unfortunately did not fall and two Gary Payton II free throws with 16.4 seconds remaining bumped the Blazer lead to six points and put the game out of reach.

Jordan Poole scored a game-high 38 points, with Klay Thompson adding 31 points. Donte DiVincenzo recorded 18 points off the bench for the Dubs, including making five triples. Damian Lillard recorded the second triple-double of his career in the win, recording 33 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

Golden State Warriors Highlights vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Team Leaders
GSW
PointsReboundsAssists
Poole - 38Wiggins - 10D. Green - 7
Thompson - 31D. Green - 6Poole - 7
DiVincenzo/Wiggins - 18Looney - 5Thompson - 6
POR
PointsReboundsAssists
Lillard - 33Lillard - 10Lillard - 11
Grant - 22Watford - 8Simons - 6
Sharpe - 13Sharpe - 7Watford - 5
Dubs Go Cold Late

Golden State led 114-110 with under six minutes to play, but missed 12 straight field goals as the team went scoreless from the 5:48 marker in the fourth quarter until Jordan Poole's lay-up with 46.1 seconds left in the game. The Blazers capitalized, scoring 11 straight points to turn a four-point deficit into a seven-point lead, as they ended a four-game losing streak against the Warriors.

Postgame Warriors Talk
  • article-image: Postgame Warriors Talk: Steve Kerr – 2/8/23

    Postgame Warriors Talk: Steve Kerr – 2/8/23

    Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr addresses the media after the Warriors' 125-122 defeat against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

  • article-image: Postgame Warriors Talk: Jordan Poole – 2/8/23

    Postgame Warriors Talk: Jordan Poole – 2/8/23

    Jordan Poole addresses the media after the Warriors' 125-122 defeat against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

  • article-image: Postgame Warriors Talk: Klay Thompson – 2/8/23

    Postgame Warriors Talk: Klay Thompson – 2/8/23

    Klay Thompson addresses the media after the Warriors' 125-122 defeat against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

  • article-image: Postgame Warriors Talk: Donte DiVincenzo – 2/8/23

    Postgame Warriors Talk: Donte DiVincenzo – 2/8/23

    Donte DiVincenzo addresses the media after the Warriors' 125-122 defeat against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

Differing Styles

Golden State and Portland both scored over 120 points in the contest, but got there in very different manners. The Dubs relied on the 3-ball, connecting on 21-of-49 (42.9%) attempts from long distance. Comparatively, the Blazers attempted just 27 3-pointers on the night, connecting on only eight, shooting 29.6 percent from three. But where the Blazers got most of their scoring on Wednesday night was from the free throw line and and at the rim. The Blazers recorded 66 points in the paint, their second highest total all season, outscoring the Dubs by 24 points in the category. The Blazers also attempted 22 more free throws than Warriors in the victory. Portland was 31-for-32 (96.9%) from the charity stripe, while Golden State attempted just 10 free throws on the night.

DiVincenzo’s Dunk

Donte DiVincenzo recorded 18 points in Wednesday night’s contest, with his most memorable moment coming midway through the second quarter. With just under five minutes left to go in the half, and Draymond Green with the ball in the post against Damian Lillard, Green found a cutting DiVincenzo who skied up for a poster dunk over Blazers center Drew Eubanks.

DiVincenzo tied his season-high with five 3-pointers in the win, shooting 50 percent from 3-point range. He also added three steals, two rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes of action.

DiVincenzo's Highlight-Reel Slam

Poole’s Buzzer-Beater + Third Quarter Fire

Donte DiVincenzo was not the only Warrior to have a highlight-reel moment in the second frame. On the Dubs final possession before the half, Ty Jerome found Draymond Green cutting toward the basket. A Blazers defender collapsed on Green, who found Andrew Wiggins, who then made the extra pass to Jordan Poole with under three seconds to go in the half. Poole pumped, and Anfernee Simons went flying past him, as Poole delivered a buzzer-beating triple to give the Warriors a four-point lead going in halftime, the team’s biggest lead of the game up to that point.

Poole came out of the half hitting on all cylinders. The guard scored nine points in a 74-second span in the third quarter, hitting a 3-pointer on three consecutive Warrior possessions.

He finished the night with a team-high 38 points on an efficient 13-for-25 shooting, including 7-for-12 from 3-point range. Poole tallied a team-high-tying seven assists, his first time all season recording 7-plus dimes in consecutive games.

Poole Beats the Buzzer

Klay’s Birthday Encore

After exploding for 42 points on 12 made threes on Monday night, Klay Thompson continued his hot hand to open the game on Wednesday. Thompson, who turned 33 years old on Wednesday, hit six 3-pointers in the half, tied for his second most makes from 3-point range in a half all season, and delivered 20 points.

He finished the game with 31 points on 12-for-28 shooting and has now recorded four 30-plus point games since Jan. 1.

Klay Gets to the Rim

Up Next

The Dubs return home for their final two games at Chase Center before the All-Star Break. The Dubs have won four straight home games and will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night (5:30 p.m.; ABC) before meeting the Washington Wizards on Monday night (7 p.m.; NBCSBA). Lakers forward LeBron James (38,390 points) passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Tuesday night as the league's all-time leading scorer.

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green Congratulate LeBron James on Becoming NBA's All-Time Leading Scorer

More Notables:

  • Golden State lost its third-straight road game, falling to 7-21 this season on the road.
  • Tonight’s loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Warriors over the Trail Blazers… Their season series is now tied 1-1.
  • Portland outshot Golden State, 55.1 to 47.4 percent, dropping the Warriors to 2-22 this season when outshot by their opponent and 1-17 when their opponent shoots at least 50 percent from the field.
  • Golden State made 21 3-pointers, marking the second straight game (26 on 2/6 vs. OKC) in which they made at least 20 3-pointers… It was the sixth time in franchise history with consecutive games with 20-or-more 3-pointers and the third time this season it has happened.
  • The Warriors dished out 31 assists for their league-leading 30th 30-assist game of the season.
  • Golden State converted 21 Portland turnovers into 30 points, the most points off turnovers this season for the Warriors (prev. 27, four times).
  • With 40 points in the second quarter, the Warriors have scored at least 40 points in a quarter 11 times this season and in each of the last three games (44 in Q3 on 2/6 vs. OKC and 40 in Q1 on 2/4 vs. DAL).
  • Jordan Poole had a game-high 38 points and Klay Thompson scored 31 points, the seventh time this season the Warriors had two 30-point scorers in the same game (Warriors now 5-2 in those contests).
  • The Warriors’ 11 turnovers were one shy of their season-low mark (10, 10/29 at CHA). 
  • Tonight marked the Warriors fourth loss when scoring 120-plus points this season, falling to 20-4. 
  • Jordan Poole recorded his 10th 30-point game of the season… For the third time this season, Poole made a season-high-tying seven 3-pointers.
  • Klay Thompson, celebrating his 33rd birthday, scored 31 points, the most points he has ever scored on his birthday (prev. 28, 2/8/17 vs. CHI)… His 19 3-pointers made in the last two games combined (12 on 2/6 vs. OKC and seven tonight), marks the most 3-pointers made by Thompson in two-straight games in his career… His 20 points in the first half marked his ninth 20-point half of the season (seventh of the first half) and second-straight game with at least 20 points in the first half (27 in H1 on 2/6 vs. OKC).
  • Andrew Wiggins recorded his third double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds… He also had four assists and his four steals were one shy of his season high.
  • Donte DiVincenzo led all reserves with 18 points and made a season-high-tying five 3-pointers, including the 400th of his career
  • Kevon Looney, making his 49th start of the season, played in his 166th consecutive regular season game, second-longest active streak.