The Golden State Warriors will at worst host a Play-In Tournament game as the seventh-seed after accounting for the Portland Trail Blazers in a 103-86 victory at Moda Center on Friday night.
While far from a scorching performance offensively, the Warrior defense showed up and kept the Trail Blazers to just 37.6% shooting from the floor and 20% from 3-point range. Portland's 86 points equalled the lowest score by a Golden State opponent this season.
The Warriors have taken another step towards securing a playoff spot
A rough first-quarter and a Stephen Curry thumb injury raised some concern early in the game, but the Warriors quickly took control and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second-half to record their 48th win of the season.
Curry returned with his thumb strapped up to play 27 minutes, with the comfortable win allowing the 2x MVP to rest over the final period as Jimmy Butler stepped up to ensure his superstar teammate wouldn't be required again.
Butler had 24 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 28 minutes, having shot 6-of-10 from the floor and again going a perfect 11-of-11 from the free-throw line. Buddy Hield added 16 points and made his 200th 3-pointer of the season, but otherwise the Warriors never found a true offensive rhythm in shooting less than 40% from the floor and less than 32% from beyond the arc.
And-1 😎
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 12, 2025
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Butler and Hield led six Warrior players who reached double-digit scoring, which included rookie center Quinten Post who had a pair of threes and 10 points in a positive return after missing the last two games through illness.
The short-handed Trail Blazers simply didn't have enough talent to mount a serious challenge, having played without a host of key players including Deni Avdija, Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton and Scoot Henderson.
A come from behind victory by the Denver Nuggets over the Memphis Grizzlies ensures the Warriors can finish no lower than seventh, but their focus will be on beating the L.A. Clippers on Sunday to clinch a top six seed.
Should Golden State lose on Sunday, they'll almost certainly fall to seventh given the Minnesota Timberwolves play the lowly Utah Jazz. The Clippers will also have plenty to play for as they look to secure a top six spot and potentially move up to host a first-round playoff series.
The Warriors will now be hoping Curry's thumb issue is no major issue, and that Butler's arrival can prove the difference after losing all three matchups to the Clippers earlier in the season.