Playoff mode has started for the Golden State Warriors, who travel to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday for a regular-season game that is crucial for their postseason seeding.
“We are already in the playoffs,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “This is what the playoffs feel like — a lot of pressure, a lot on the line, tough losses. The only thing you can do is pick up your chin and get back at it the next day. We have a huge game in Portland.”
The Warriors (47-33) absorbed a devastating 114-111 loss Wednesday to the visiting San Antonio Spurs on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by former Golden State forward Harrison Barnes, who got the shot up over tight defense by Jimmy Butler. Golden State led by 12 entering the fourth quarter.
The defeat left the Warriors in seventh place in the Western Conference with two regular-season games remaining but within a game of the three teams in front of them. Golden State has clinched a spot in the playoffs but is in a group of six teams separated by 2 1/2 games. Golden State could finish as high as fourth or be dropped into the play-in tournament for seeds 7-10.
“This is the NBA. This is how it works,” Kerr said. “Everyone is good. Everyone has talent. You’re always vulnerable no matter who you are. It’s going down to the wire for a reason. There’s a lot of great teams in the West. There’s very few easy games … because of the 3-point line in the modern NBA, you’re always vulnerable.”
Golden State has gone 23-8 since they acquired Butler, who had 28 points in the loss to the Spurs. Stephen Curry had 30 points, including five 3-pointers.
The Warriors have beaten Portland eight straight times, and 12 of their last 13 meetings. Golden State beat Portland 140-104 in the season opener. It is the second-most points scored by Golden State this season and the third-most points allowed by Portland.
The Trail Blazers (35-45) are eliminated from playoff contention and lost to the Jazz on Wednesday in overtime while playing without most of their leading scorers: Anfernee Simons (forearm), Deni Avdija (thumb), Deandre Ayton (calf), Jerami Grant (knee) and Scoot Henderson (concussion).
“There was a lot to learn from this game,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “I told our guys, so many guys played well. Shaedon (Sharpe) had a career high (37 points), Rup (Rayan Rupert) had a career high (19), but to win close games in this league, you have to make free throws and you have to take care of the basketball. That’s been a big thing for us all year.”
Portland ranked tied for 28th in the NBA in turnovers per game at 15.9, heading into Thursday’s play, and 25th in free-throw shooting at 76.5 percent. Still, it’s largely been a positive season for the Trail Blazers, who won only 21 games in 2023-24.
Simons has been healthy most of the year and has averaged 19.1 points, while Sharpe, in his third season, has averaged a career-high 18.5 points. Only one of the Blazers’ top-10 leading scorers for the season is 30 or older (Grant, 31).
“I am proud of the effort. Obviously, the guys feel the gravity of having the game in hand and watching it unravel,” Billups said. “You have to do the small things.”
–Field Level Media
