In an exciting showdown at San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors clinched their fifth consecutive victory by defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 130-120 on Monday night. Superstar Stephen Curry was in the spotlight, scoring 24 points and inching closer to a historic milestone, needing just two more 3-pointers to become the first player in NBA history to reach 4,000. Curry, who recently joined the elite 25,000 points club in the league, made significant strides with five successful 3-pointers, three of which were nailed in the third quarter.
Jimmy Butler was instrumental in the win, notching a triple-double with 15 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds – a first for the Warriors this season. Since Butler’s debut on February 8, Golden State has been on an impressive streak, recording a 12-2 tally and only losing one of the 13 games in which Butler has played. Gary Payton II also delivered a stellar performance, scoring a career-high of 26 points, contributing to the Warriors’ triumph in 10 of their last 11 games.
On the opposing side, Deni Avdija made a dramatic return from a two-game hiatus due to a leg injury, putting up an impressive 34 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists. This stat line mirrored Blazer legend Clyde Drexler’s achievements from March 20, 1990. Anfernee Simons also added to the Blazers’ effort with 32 points, though the team faced their fourth consecutive defeat, following a tough 119-112 loss to the Pistons the previous night.
The Trail Blazers missed Jerami Grant for yet another game as he continues to recover from a persistent right knee issue. On the Warriors’ side, Brandin Podziemski sat out a second consecutive game due to low back soreness, which had initially affected him in a recent match against Brooklyn.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Butler secured an offensive rebound at 3:33 on the clock, thereby confirming his 18th career regular-season triple-double, culminating his incredible contribution for the Warriors. A key statistic on the night was Golden State’s impressive 51.2% success rate from beyond the arc, featuring six 3-pointers from Buddy Hield, four from Gary Payton II, and three from the towering Quinten Post.
Looking ahead, the Portland Trail Blazers will be eager to break their losing streak as they prepare to host the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors will aim to maintain their momentum against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, continuing their seven-game homestand with high hopes.
