Golden State Warriors offense falters again over clutch minutes in Portland

The Golden State Warriors’ late game issues on the road have again proved problematic, blowing a four-point lead with less than six minutes remaining against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson combined for 69 points in a dynamic display, but the pair were part of a Warrior offense that failed to execute over the critical moments of the final few minutes.

The Golden State Warriors went scoreless for over five minutes late in the game, ultimately proving the difference in a 125-122 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Poole made a tough stepback three to give Golden State a 114-110 advantage with 5:48 to play, before the reigning champions failed to score again till 46 seconds left in the contest. In the meantime Portland went on an 11-0 run, turning a four-point deficit into a decisive seven-point lead.

The Warriors had another chance in the final 30 seconds when they forced a turnover directly after a Donte DiVincenzo three. Andrew Wiggins could have made a layup to cut the margin to two, yet instead chose to find DiVincenzo on the perimeter who missed the crucial three.

There was drama pre-game when Blazers’ wing Josh Hart was traded to the New York Knicks during the warmup. His omission along with the absence of Jusuf Nurkic left Portland down two starters, though that can’t really compare to Golden State’s loss of Stephen Curry.

After 12 three-pointers against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, Thompson produced another scintillating first-half with six threes and 20 points. A Poole buzzer-beating three closed the half as the Warriors finished on a 17-4 run to lead 67-63.

The lead changed hands on multiple occasions during the second-half and was tied with 12 minutes to play. Poole’s 38 points on 7-for-12 from deep wasn’t to be enough, with Damian Lillard’s 33-point triple double proving enough for the Blazers.

Part of the late game issues came from Golden State’s ability to get to the free-throw line, an aspect that played a pivotal role in the final result. Portland went 31-for-32 from the stripe, while Golden State took just ten attempts (making nine).

The Warriors now return home and have a couple of days off before hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, with the Pacific rivals having made their own major trade on Wednesday with Russell Westbrook moved in a deal that brings back D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt.