Stephen Curry, Warriors close door on Blazers in final seconds

Stephen Curry saved 22 of his game-high 31 points for the second half, capped by a clinching three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining, and the Golden State Warriors rallied past the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, 110-106, on Wednesday night, December 6 (Thursday, December 7, Manila time).

Draymond Green missed a triple-double by one assist and three Warriors came off the bench for 12 or more points as Golden State returned from a three-day break to outlast the Trail Blazers in their first of three meetings this month.

In his first game since suffering a torn ligament in his right thumb on opening night, Anfernee Simons poured in 28 points and Shaedon Sharpe had 26 points for the Trail Blazers, who lost despite outscoring Golden State, 48-30, on three-pointers.

With Curry going 1-for-6 and Klay Thompson 0-for-4, the Warriors were just 2-for-16 from long range in the first half en route to a 55-48 deficit.

Portland went on to lead by as many as 11 before Curry ignited a rally with 17 points in the third quarter, getting the Warriors within arm’s length and setting up his late heroics.

The Trail Blazers took their last lead at 100-99 on two Simons free throws with 3:43 remaining, but then scored just six points the rest of the way.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Kuminga turned a pair of Green assists into layups, and Klay Thompson hit just his third hoop of the night, a layup that also came from Green, for a three-point advantage with 1:59 left.

Then Curry, after Matisse Thybulle hit a three-pointer to make it a one-point game with 51.1 seconds to go, drilled his difference-maker from beyond the arc to secure the win.

Curry finished 5-for-13 on treys. Kuminga finished with 13 points, all in the second half, as did fellow reserve Dario Saric, while Moses Moody, another backup, added 12, Thompson 11, and Green 10 to go with 10 rebounds and 9 assists.

Simons shot 6-for-13 on three-pointers, while Sharpe was 4-for-9.

Jabari Walker contributed 12 points off the bench and Duop Reath had 10 for Portland, while Toumani Camara grabbed 13 rebounds before fouling out. – Rappler.com