Warriors set NBA record in rout of Trail Blazers

Stephen Curry #30 left of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on April 09, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. Steph Chambers/Getty Images

2023.04.09 – The Golden State Warriors set an NBA record by scoring 55 points in the first quarter on their way to a 157-101 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers in their regular-season finale on Sunday to secure the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

Klay Thompson, who scored 20 points, became the third player in NBA history to hit at least 300 3-pointers in a single season.

“I pulled Klay aside two minutes before the game and said, ‘Just let it happen,’” Kerr said. “He said ’no problem Coach” and then he made five 3s in the first five minutes. That’s Klay.”

Teammate Stephen Curry, who did it four times, and James Harden are the other two players.

Thompson also had the most 3-pointers by a player this season, getting to 301 by making six in Sunday’s finale.

“It’s cool to lead the league in 3s made,” Thompson said. “It’s something I’ve never done before. It’s a testament to my hard work over the last few years, some dark times that have turned into some beautiful moments.”

2023.04.09 – Warriors @ Trail Blazers (NBA Video highlights)

Klay Thompson #11 left of the Golden State Warriors drives past a Trail Blazers defender during the first quarter against Portland at Moda Center on April 09, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. Steph Chambers/Getty Images

2023.04.09 – Warriors @ Trail Blazers (NBA Video highlights)

Watch this video on YouTube

2023.04.09 – Warriors @ Trail Blazers (NBA Video highlights)

Curry led the Warriors with 26 points and hit five three-pointers to go along with five rebounds. Moses Moody added 25 points off the bench, while Jordan Poole had 21 points and four rebounds for Golden State (44-38).

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ‘I think we’ve won eight of 10, so hopefully that carries over to next week.’

Skylar Mays led Portland (33-49) with 21 points along with 11 assists. Shaedon Sharpe had 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Jeenathan Williams added 17 points in the Blazers’ final game of the season with regular starters Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic and Jerami Grant all sidelined.

Golden State led 55-27 after the first quarter and 84-53 at the half.

2023.04.09 – Warriors @ Trail Blazers (NBC Sports post game)

Portland Trail Blazers forward Trendon Watford, center, loses the ball while driving between Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, and forward Draymond Green right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Sunday, April 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)

2023.04.09 – Warriors @ Trail Blazers (NBC Sports post game)

Watch this video on YouTube

2023.04.09 – Warriors @ Trail Blazers (NBC Sports post game)

“Today our guys were locked in from the beginning,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “They knew what was at stake and controlled the game from the opening tap. But most importantly, after a really long and in many ways tumultuous season, we got where we needed to get, and that’s into the playoffs.”

Thompson, chasing history of his own, lit the fuse for Golden State’s deluge of buckets. The four time NBA Champion entered the afternoon needing five 3’s to reach 300 on the season, something achieved by only two other players ever — Curry and Philadelphia’s James Harden when he was on the Rockets. Thompson shot 5-for-6 from 3-point range in his first five minutes on the court and finished with 20 points and six 3’s.

Curry, Thompson and Poole finished the regular season with the most combined 3-pointers for a trio in NBA history with 788.

Coolsculpting try it today.

2023.04.09 – Warriors @ Trail Blazers (Kruger Show post game)

Golden State Warriors guard Jonathan Kuminga dunks against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Sunday, April 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)

2023.04.09 – Warriors @ Trail Blazers (Kruger Show post game)

Watch this video on YouTube

2023.04.09 – Warriors @ Trail Blazers (Kruger Show post game)

“I told him after the game just how proud I was of him for what he’s been through, to go through those two devastating injuries and fight his way back, win a championship last year and have a great season this year, a complete season,” Kerr said of Thompson. “It’s a really remarkable story, a testament to Klay and his fortitude and his love for the game.”

Adding to the list of milestones, Kevon Looney became the first Warrior since Antawn Jamison to play in all 82 regular-season games in back-to-back seasons, and Poole played in all 82 games for the first time, including 43 starts. Looney finished the regular season as the league’s offensive rebounds leader with 274.

“It’s so difficult to play 82 games in an NBA season with all the bumps and bruises and the various forms of adversity that hits you individually,” Kerr said. “So for Jordan and Loon to be there for us every night is just hugely valuable.”

UN-STRESSED WARRIORS

How un-stressed were the Warriors while dispatching the Blazers? As halftime wound down, Curry jogged out of the visiting locker room at Moda Center, then cut through the media workroom and watched a few seconds of The Masters on TV screens inside. He cheered on Brooks Koepka for a moment, then made his way back to the court.

Poole was the last player to pass through before the third quarter began. While he didn’t linger in the media workroom as long as Curry did, Poole did receive a handful of popcorn from a reporter on the way out.

“There’s a feel-good vibe, that helps,” Curry said. “You don’t want to grind it out down the stretch against the lineup that (Portland) had out there. Nobody wanted to be in that kind of situation. … Everybody feels a nice flow and gets some game experience so whatever the expectations are, what you’re asked to do, everybody’s ready. That definitely helps. We want to have the least stressful path to the start of the playoffs as possible, so we accomplished that.”

TIP-INS

Warriors: The Warriors will face the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Trail Blazers: Before the game, Portland re-signed guard Skylar Mays for the rest of the season after his 10-day contract expired. … They also signed center Chance Comanche, who had previously played for the Stockton Kings of the G League. … Guard Shaquille Harrison’s 10-day contract with the Blazers expired Saturday, and he signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Warriors: Clinched the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoffs and will face the Sacramento Kings in the first round.

Trail Blazers: Finished the season with the fifth-worst record in the NBA and a 10.5% chance at winning the No. 1 overall pick at the May 16 draft lottery in Chicago.