By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Golden State Warriors’ insane resurgence is still on full display after pulling off a convincing win over the Portland Trail Blazers, 130-120, in the ongoing NBA regular season on March 11, 2025.
With another victory, Golden State just racked up their fifth consecutive dub and increased their chances of locking up a sure playoff spot with a win-loss record of 37-28, the sixth spot in the Western Conference.
After back-to-back nail-biting wins against the Brooklyn Nets and the Detroit Pistons, the Warriors this time controlled the tempo of the game from start to finish and turned the affair into a high-octane shootout.
The Trail Blazers went off to the races after quickly opening up with a 7-0 lead in the first quarter but the Warriors responded with a massive counter run that helped them retake the lead at the end of the frame, 35-27.
However, that 7-0 lead in the first two minutes of the ball game was the only time that Portland held a lead in the entire outing and were behind until the rest of the evening.
Unsung heroes sparked Golden State’s impressive win, led by the duo of Gary Payton II and Moses Moody who combined for 46 points. The 1-2 punch took charge in keeping the Warriors’ lead in the first half and stepped up offensively when the Trail Blazers put Stephen Curry in handcuffs.
Portland executed an effective defensive scheme on Curry, shadowing him and denying him in the pick-and-roll plays drawn up by coach Steve Kerr.
Despite giving Curry multiple screens in the curl actions, the Portland defenders chose to fight over the screen and didn’t go under, showing their willingness to stay tight within Curry’s shooting space.
With Curry silent scoring the ball in the first half, Payton II and Moody ignited the Warriors when they drained several three-pointers and provided the energy they needed by crashing the boards that resulted in several second-chance points.
Their stellar play helped Golden State balloon their biggest lead of the ball game to 19 points at the half, and were looking invincible with every scoring run they mounted just when Portland threatened to fight back.
The Trail Blazers showed some signs of life after trimming Golden State’s 19-point cushion to just six midway through the third when Anfernee Simons waxed hot from the floor, but the veteran leadership of Jimmy Butler revived the Warriors’ firepower with his playmaking.
Butler scored 15 points in the contest, but what turned heads was his triple-double outing as he also tallied 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
The former Miami Heat superstar directed the Golden State offense in the fourth quarter and rewarded Moody, Payton II, and Curry wide-open looks off pin-downs and aggressive drives to the basket.
Portland never got back in the game after the Warriors unleashed another offensive avalanche in the final three minutes that maintained their lead to double digits, sending the struggling Trail Blazers to their fourth straight loss.
Payton II capped off the win with a new career-high in points after top-scoring Golden State with 26 points built from an efficient 4/6 shooting from the three-point line alongside two rebounds, a steal, and a block.
Meanwhile, Moody indeed lightened up the mood for the Warriors after dropping 20 markers, missing only three attempts out of 10 total tries.
Despite a quiet first half, Curry found his stroke in the last two quarters and ended Golden State’s fifth consecutive win with 24 points, three dimes, two rebounds, and two steals.
Golden State will aim to bag their sixth straight dub on March 14, 2025, and will go up against the electric Sacramento Kings squad.
