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 It was been a long time coming for the Warriors, who clinched the
team's first division title since the 1975-76 season Tuesday night
at the Moda Center with a 122-108 victory over the Portland Trail
Blazers.
"It feels great," first-year Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. "If
you haven't done something for 39 years, you'd better celebrate it
when you do.
"It's a great moment for our franchise. It shows how far we've come
in the last few years and all the work so many people have put in.
It's all come together, so it's a special night for the Warriors."
Guard Stephen Curry scored 33 points and handed out 10 assists to
lead the Warriors (58-13) to their eighth straight win and 13th in
14 games. Forward Andre Iguodala equaled his season high with 21
points, forward Draymond Green had 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight
assists, and center Andrew Bogut contributed 10 points, 16 rebounds
and six assists for the visitors.
Guard Damian Lillard collected 29 points, seven rebounds and five
assists, and guard C.J. McCollum added a career-high 23 points for
the Trail Blazers, who lost their fifth straight game.
Golden State shot 60.2 percent from the field overall, knocked down
12 of 26 from 3-point range and hit 10 of 11 from the free-throw
line. The Warriors came out on top in rebounds (46-35), points in
the paint (52-40) and fast-break points (20-6), and they recorded 37
assists on 50 baskets.
"They put on a clinic on how to share the ball," said Portland coach
Terry Stotts, whose team shot 42.4 percent from the floor.
"We're very comfortable with how we're going to get shots every
single night," Curry said. "Then it's just about executing, not
turning the ball over, staying aggressive and making the smart
plays."
Portland (44-25) was without four its top six players due to injury
-- starting forwards LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, starting
guard Wesley Matthews and sixth-man center Chris Kaman. Matthews is
lost for the season due to a torn Achilles tendon.
Lillard finished 9-for-21 from the field, including 6-for-11 from
3-point range, and 5-for-5 from the foul line.
"I knew I'd have to take more control of what was going on out on
the floor," Lillard said. "I tried to be more aggressive."
The Blazers got out to a 28-20 lead, sinking 11 of 15 shots after an
0-for-5 start. They settled for a 30-26 advantage going into the
second quarter.
Portland led 35-28 early in the second period, but Golden State went
on a 7-0 binge to tie the score at 35-35. The Blazers seized control
again, running their lead to 53-41 on a 3-pointer by Lillard with
5:15 left in the period. The Warriors closed the gap to 62-57 at the
half.
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Lillard had 18 first-half points and McCollum produced 10 before the
break for the Blazers, who had only two turnovers and were 10-for-10
from the foul line in the half. Curry had 14 first-half points and
Thompson 12 for the Warriors, who shot 56.1 percent, including
6-for-11 from 3-point range, and still trailed by five.
The Warriors went ahead 69-66 on a 3-point shot by Curry with 8:27
left in the third quarter. A no-look pass from Curry to Green for a
dunk, then a Curry 3-pointer made it 80-69. The Warriors padded the
advantage to 93-80 heading into the final period.
Golden State was ahead 96-80 early in the fourth quarter, but the
Blazers rallied, guard Allen Crabbe's 3-pointer drawing the home
team within 100-91 with 8:01 to play. Portland never got closer than
nine points the rest of the way.
"They picked it up on both ends of the floor in the second half,"
Lillard said. "We competed hard. Everybody played team ball. We went
out there with the right mindset -- to be aggressive and accept the
challenge. we tried hard, but (the Warriors) are the best team in
the league for a reason."
NOTES: The Warriors handed out Pacific Division champion T-shirts
and took a team photo in the locker room after the game. "It was a
good celebration relative to our accomplishment, with the idea that
there's more to come," coach Steve Kerr said. ... Golden State
improved its road record to 24-11 and matched a franchise record for
most road wins in a season. ... The Warriors are now 14-3 in the
second of-back-to-back games ... Kerr almost surely will set an NBA
record for most regular-season wins by a rookie coach during 82-game
regular season. The mark shared by Paul Westphal (Phoenix, 1992-93)
and Tom Thibodeau (Chicago, 2010-11) at 62. ... Golden State sat
reserves G Shaun Livingston and F David Lee. ... The Blazers own a
24-8 record when F Nicolas Batum, F LaMarcus Aldridge, G Wesley
Matthews, C Robin Lopez and G Damian Lillard are in the starting
lineup together, 20-17 otherwise.
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