Curry-less Warriors survive vs. Blazers

The Golden State Warriors were without the two-time MVP Stephen Curry as they escaped Portland with a narrow victory over the Blazers.

Only a bouncing ball on the rim on a three-point attempt by Evan Turner allowed the Golden State Warriors to escape Portland with a 113-111 victory on Sunday night. Kevin Durant scored 33 points, grabbed 10 boards and dished out six dimes to lead the Warriors, who were without their captain and 2-time MVP Stephen Curry, who was out with the stomach flu.

Durant came up huge down the stretch for the Warriors scoring on consecutive possessions, one on a Zaza Pachulia tip-out and the other a floater in the lane. He was the money man for the Warriors tonight and the team relied on him heavily in the fourth quarter.

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Klay Thompson contributed 27 points on only 6-of-21 from the field, but hit a monster three-point shot to extend the Warriors lead to seven with 37 seconds left in the game. The Blazers made Thompson work hard for every shot and turned him into a volume shooter.

Zaza Pachulia came up huge for the Warriors in this hard fought win putting up 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and much needed energy and hustle.

The Warriors had to grind out this win after they let the Blazers go on a 20-2 run in the last five and a half minutes in the second quarter to cut into the 21-point lead the Warriors had built. After halftime, the Warriors shot better than they had shot in the second quarter, which was 30%. They ended the third quarter on a 16-6 run.

The game seesawed back and forth with the Warriors trading baskets, but never relinquishing the 4th quarter lead.

C.J. McCollum scored 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting making shot after shot, including a stepback three that would bring the Blazers within 2 with 18 seconds left, but they would get no closer.

Damian Lillard had only 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting and being held seven points below his season scoring average. Thompson’s tough defense had a lot to do with Lillard being a volume shooter tonight, taking tougher, contested shots.

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The Warriors struggled shooting the three ball tonight only going 8-of-26, but a bright spot out of it was that swingman Andre Iguodala has rediscovered his shot and hit a huge three for the Warriors in crunchtime.

Although Durant was phenomenal all game, tonight’s game showed the Warriors need Curry for his playmaking, spacing, leadership, and threat of his shot.