Draymond Green had a triple-double and Stephen Curry had 36 points as the Warriors overcame an 18-point deficit to beat the Trail Blazers 110-99 on Saturday night in Portland.
For the second game in a row, the Warriors overcame a big deficit in the third quarter. This time, the Dubs got it done on the road with a 110-99 victory on Saturday to take a 3-0 series lead over the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals.
And as was the case on Thursday, Draymond Green was the spark that changed the momentum in the Dubs favor. After falling behind by as many as 18 points in the second quarter, the Warriors came roaring back in the third period. The Dubs out-scored Portland 29-13 in the third, and Green scored or assisted on 17 of those points. The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year had a triple-double by the end of the third period, and the Warriors momentum carried over into the fourth period.
TEAM LEADERS
“In the first half they had everything going,” Green said. “When a team scores like that, they usually relax getting back on defense, so I just took it upon myself to get the pace where we wanted it because I know when we’re playing at that pace, we’re tough to guard and very tough to beat.”
Green finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals, and Stephen Curry had a strong finish to get 36 points, while Klay Thompson added 19 points and five assists. After the Dubs gave up 66 Portland points in the first half, the Warriors’ defense tightened up and the team won the second half 57-33 to move within one win of reaching the NBA Finals.
Both teams made starting lineup adjustments going into this game. Damian Jones got the start at center for the Dubs in place of Andre Bogut, while Meyers Leonard replaced Enes Kanter as Portland’s starting center. The Trail Blazers had the early advantage with Jones picking up multiple fouls early. Portland was in the bonus just past the midpoint of the first quarter, and the Blazers would surge ahead behind 10 first quarter free throws.
Portland led by as many as 10 points in the opening period, but the Dubs rallied to tie it in the first minute of the second period. The Trail Blazers, however, answered behind a strong bench effort. Seth Curry, whose second quarter 3-pointer in Game 2 gave Portland its biggest lead of the game, hit another trey on Saturday that gave the home team an 18-point advantage.
In this position on Thursday, the Warriors immediately began their comeback effort. Green responded to Seth Curry’s 3-pointer by driving down the lane for a basket. Stephen Curry hit his third of six 3-pointers on the Dubs’ next possession, knocking down a trey in transition off of an assist from Green. And the Dubs went into the half down by just 13 after Green sprinted the length of the court and finished with a contested layup as time expired.
Green’s surge powered the Warriors comemback in the third quarter and the Dubs entered the final quarter up by three. As has been the case throughout the series, Klay Thompson started the final quarter with four reserves, and that group came through and extended the lead. Quinn Cook made a couple of key baskets for the Warriors and Alfonzo McKinnie sinked a key 3-pointer from the corner with 5:34 left in the game, giving the Dubs' a 10-point lead, their largest advantage to that point.
Curry closed the game with 11 points over the final six minutes of the game, and the Dubs’ defense did the rest, holding the Trail Blazers to 40 percent shooting for the game. And with the win, the Warriors extended their NBA record streak of 22 consecutive playoff series with at least one road victory.
Now up 3-0 in the series, the Warriors will look to close it out on Monday night in Portland.
More notes and numbers from the Dubs' Game 3 win:
- The Warriors overcame an 18-point deficit, their third largest in franchise history … According to Stats by STATS, the Warriors are the first team in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55) to overcome a 13+ point halftime deficit to win in back-to-back playoff games.
- Golden State has won nine-straight versus Portland in the postseason … Overall, the Warriors are 11-1 all-time versus the Trail Blazers in the playoffs.
- Golden State held Portland to 13 points in the third quarter, an opponent low for any quarter this postseason … Additionally, the 33 points in the second half were an opponent low for any half this playoffs.
- The Warriors have won their last five postseason games.
- Golden State used their sixth different starting lineup in the 2019 playoffs.
- Draymond Green recorded his seventh career playoff triple-double (third this postseason) with a 2019 postseason-high 20 points, 13 rebounds and a playoff career-high tying 12 assists … All three triple-doubles this postseason have come on the road (one in each series).
- Stephen Curry recorded 36 points, six rebounds and six assists and has done so in each of the three games during the Conference Finals … Additionally, he is the first Warriors player to ever score 35-plus points in the first 3 games of any series.
- Curry has scored 30-or-more points in each of his last four games, tying his career-best streak (5/15-5/23/15).
- Alfonzo McKinnie grabbed a playoff career-high nine rebounds.
- Damian Jones made his first career playoff start (22 starts during the 2018-19 regular season).