Trail Blazers at Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are on the verge of their longest losing streak of the season, though at this point it doesn’t really matter. The Portland Trail Blazers figure to be the much more desperate team when they visit the Warriors on Thursday.
Golden State already has locked up the best record in the league and the best record in franchise history but had some trouble in the final two games of its road trip, falling at San Antonio and New Orleans. The Warriors were run off the floor from the start against the Spurs but let a lead slip away against the Pelicans, who could see Golden State in the first round of the playoffs. “They brought it. We knew they were going to bring it,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters of the Pelicans. “They’re fighting for the playoffs. I was really pleased with our competitiveness in the first half, and then in the second half, we weren’t ready for their desperation.” The Trail Blazers are fighting for homecourt advantage in the first round and are 1 1/2 games behind San Antonio and the Los Angeles Clippers.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (51-27): Portland left All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge (thumb) home from its trip to Brooklyn on Monday, and he looked plenty refreshed in a 116-91 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Aldridge went for 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting and 13 rebounds against Minnesota’s depleted frontline for his second straight double-double and best shooting performance this month. The Trail Blazers will play three of their final four games on the road, where they are 19-19.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (63-15): Golden State won 12 in a row before its mini-slide and is trying to balance staying sharp with getting players enough rest over the last week. MVP candidate Stephen Curry certainly doesn’t seem to be wearing down with 10 made 3-pointers in the last two games, but he missed the mark on his final attempt in New Orleans and still sees room for improvement. “I don’t think anybody is happy with the way the past two games have gone, but it’s no time to panic,” Curry told reporters. “It’s just about learning lessons.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Warriors G Klay Thompson totaled 13 points on 5-of-21 from the field in the last two games.
2. Trail Blazers G Arron Afflalo is 12-of-39 from the field over the last four games.
3. Golden State won at Portland twice this season and has taken seven of the last nine in the series.