Maybe seeing their home win streak end at 54 sharpened the focus of the Warriors after all.
The team with the best record in the NBA resumed its winning ways Sunday, overwhelming the Portland Trail Blazers in a 136-111 victory before a sellout crowd (19,596) at Oracle Arena.
Stephen Curry scored a game-high 39 points, winning his personal shooting contest with Blazers star Damian Lillard, who finished with 38 points in taking the loss.
Draymond Green posted his 13th triple-double of the season, finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Klay Thompson fired in 21 points, Leandro Barbosa tossed in 13 and Harrison Barnes added 10.
The Warriors (69-8) are one game ahead of the pace set by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, whose 72-10 record is the best of all time.
After playing lazy defense early – Portland made 13 of its first 17 shots – the Warriors recovered to hold the Blazers to 37.9-percent shooting the rest of the game – despite Lillard’s 13-of-27 (4-of-9 from deep) performance in his hometown.
Portland’s record dropped to 41-37.
Local
STANDOUT PERFORMER
This was mostly a Curry-Green kind of night, with Curry doing the splashing and Green doing the dashing.
Curry’s line: 39 points (13-of-21 from the field, 9-of-13 beyond the arc), seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. He played 35 minutes and was plus-16 for the game.
Green’s line: 22 points (7-of-17, 0-of-2), 10 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocked shots and two steals. He played 35 minutes and was plus-22.
TURNING POINT
After guard Allen Crabbe sank a pair of free throws to give the Blazers at 46-41 lead with 6:42 left in the second quarter, the Warriors responded with an 8-0 run to go up 49-46 with 5:03 remaining.
Brandon Rush and Curry each dropped in a 3-pointer during the 99-second burst.
The Warriors pushed the lead to seven, 63-56 at the half, and Portland got no closer than five after intermission.
OF NOTE
The Warriors in the first half became the first team in NBA history to make 1,000 3-pointers in a season. Their total now stands at 1,013.
INJURY UPDATE
Warriors: C Festus Ezeli (L knee surgery) was listed as questionable, upgraded shortly before tipoff and placed in the starting lineup. C Andrew Bogut (rib soreness) was listed as questionable and declared out two hours before tipoff. F Andre Iguodala (L ankle sprain) and F Kevon Looney (R hip inflammation) were listed as out.
Blazers: C Meyers Leonard (L shoulder surgery) was listed as out.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Warriors return to action Tuesday night, when they play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Oracle Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:40 p.m.
