Trail Blazers fend off Warriors' three-point surge with depth, rebounding and a strong fourth quarter

Portland built the cushion, Golden State kept erasing it

Portland set the tone with shot-making from Deni Avdija and Damian Lillard, and that first-quarter burst mattered all the way to the final horn. Avdija opened the scoring with a driving layup, Toumani Camara added a three, and Lillard drilled a pair from deep as the Trail Blazers moved in front 18-8 by the 7:30 mark. Avdija was sharp throughout his 21 minutes, finishing with 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting and three made threes, while Lillard added 15 points in 19 minutes.

Golden State answered often enough to keep the game from getting away early. Brandon Williams attacked the lane for several first-quarter finishes, Miles Kelly hit from long range, and Dalen Terry began stuffing the stat line. Even so, Portland carried a 36-31 lead out of the opening period, then responded again when the Warriors drew level twice in the second. Terry's layup tied it 41-41, and LJ Cryer's three made it 44-44, but Portland reclaimed control before halftime through Donovan Clingan's three-point play, Robert Williams III's alley-oop dunk and more paint scoring from Ja Morant and Lillard to lead 57-50 at the break.

The third quarter finally gave Golden State its best stretch of the night. Will Richard's free throws tied the game at 57-57, Terry's pull-up three put the Warriors ahead 62-59, and Kelly's running triple nudged them in front again at 71-68. Portland refused to let that become a turning point. Avdija scored twice at the rim and once from deep in the quarter, Micah Potter supplied a quick five points, and Robert Williams III finished around the basket to keep the Trail Blazers attached. Potter's two free throws with 5.7 seconds left sent the game to the fourth tied 86-86.

A crowded rotation delivered the winning stretch

The game turned when Portland's second wave created separation in the fourth. After Jeremy Sochan tied it 90-90 at the 10:00 mark, Branden Carlson scored inside, Yang Hansen hit two free throws, Chris Youngblood knocked down a three and Carlson followed with a tip shot. Sochan then supplied the loudest burst of all, burying two threes and adding a short pull-up to help push the margin to its largest point of the night. Portland led for 82 per cent of the game, and that sequence showed why: every time the Warriors threatened, another Trail Blazer stepped into the next possession.

Golden State still had enough shooting to make the finish uneasy. Kelly hit a three and later a short floater, Richard connected from deep twice in the final four minutes, and Terry kept attacking until the last seconds. But Portland answered nearly every push. Potter converted a jumper and the free throw at 3:28, Jayson Kent drilled a three from the right side, Potter hit again from outside at 1:17, and Youngblood's step-back three with 33.2 seconds left restored breathing room before the Warriors' final pair of baskets.

That closing stretch captured Portland's depth. Sochan scored 10 points in only nine minutes, all in a brief but decisive cameo. Potter produced 13 points and six rebounds in 13 minutes. Robert Williams III had only eight points, yet his five blocks and five rebounds gave Portland another layer of interior control, and Yang added three assists to go with his late baskets. In all, Portland had 15 scorers and 31 assists on 45 made field goals, numbers that fit a team win more than a single-star rescue act.

Our take: Portland won where Golden State's shooting could not

Golden State usually gives itself a real chance when it shoots 19-for-34 from three-point range. Kelly made six triples and finished with 24 points, six assists and seven rebounds. Terry was just as influential with 23 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and four steals, while Williams scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Charles Bassey added 13 points on a perfect 6-of-6 night. That is enough offence to beat plenty of teams.

What kept it from being enough here was the rest of the math. Portland attempted nine more shots, won the rebounding battle 49-40, grabbed 18 offensive boards and outscored Golden State 54-36 in the paint. The Trail Blazers also held a 25-18 edge in fast-break points and blocked nine shots. Golden State's perimeter accuracy was elite, but Portland generated too many extra possessions and too many interior finishes to let that decide the game on its own.

There is a cautionary note for both sides. Portland turned the ball over 22 times, nearly giving back the benefits of its work on the glass, so cleaner possession management would make a performance like this far less tense. For Golden State, the missed free throws hurt almost as much as the rebounding gap. The Warriors went 15-for-24 at the line, and in a five-point game those empty trips mattered. On a night with 10 lead changes, Portland had more ways to score, more bodies to sustain the pressure and, in the end, more answers.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 11:20

   Deni Avdija makes driving layup (Damian Lillard assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 11:03

   Brandon Williams makes driving layup

3. 1st Quarter · 10:44

   Charles Bassey makes 12-foot driving floating jump shot (Brandon Williams assists)

4. 1st Quarter · 10:31

   Ja Morant makes two point shot

5. 1st Quarter · 10:10

   Toumani Camara makes 27-foot running jump shot (Ja Morant assists)

6. 1st Quarter · 9:29

   Deni Avdija makes free throw 1 of 2

7. 1st Quarter · 9:29

   Deni Avdija makes free throw 2 of 2

8. 1st Quarter · 9:06

   Damian Lillard makes 25-foot running jump shot (Toumani Camara assists)

9. 1st Quarter · 8:24

   Brandon Williams makes running layup (Miles Kelly assists)

10. 1st Quarter · 8:05

    Miles Kelly makes 24-foot three point jumper (Brandon Williams assists)

11. 1st Quarter · 7:50

    Damian Lillard makes 27-foot three point jumper (Donovan Clingan assists)

12. 1st Quarter · 7:30

    Deni Avdija makes 23-foot three point jumper (Ja Morant assists)

13. 1st Quarter · 7:01

    Dalen Terry makes 25-foot three pointer (Miles Kelly assists)

14. 1st Quarter · 5:20

    Miles Kelly makes two point shot

15. 1st Quarter · 4:55

    Graham Ike makes 11-foot floating jump shot (LJ Cryer assists)

16. 1st Quarter · 4:10

    Deni Avdija makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jrue Holiday assists)

17. 1st Quarter · 3:32

    Robert Williams III makes tip shot

18. 1st Quarter · 3:14

    Dalen Terry makes 14-foot pullup jump shot (Graham Ike assists)

19. 1st Quarter · 2:58

    Scoot Henderson makes 9-foot two point shot

20. 1st Quarter · 2:46

    Malevy Leons makes 1-foot reverse layup (Alex Toohey assists)

21. 1st Quarter · 2:23

    Deni Avdija makes driving layup (Jrue Holiday assists)

22. 1st Quarter · 2:16

    Damian Lillard makes 24-foot three point jumper (Deni Avdija assists)

23. 1st Quarter · 2:07

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

24. 1st Quarter · 2:07

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

25. 1st Quarter · 1:53

    Damian Lillard makes free throw 1 of 2

26. 1st Quarter · 1:53

    Damian Lillard makes free throw 2 of 2

27. 1st Quarter · 1:41

    Brandon Williams makes driving layup

28. 1st Quarter · 1:29

    Deni Avdija makes running layup (Jrue Holiday assists)

29. 1st Quarter · 1:15

    Brandon Williams makes 14-foot pullup jump shot

30. 1st Quarter · 1:08

    Scoot Henderson makes 3-foot two point shot (Deni Avdija assists)

31. 1st Quarter · 55.9

    Miles Kelly makes 28-foot three point jumper (Dalen Terry assists)

32. 1st Quarter · 1.9

    Charles Bassey makes 12-foot floating jump shot (Brandon Williams assists)

33. 2nd Quarter · 10:08

    Vit Krejci makes 27-foot running jump shot (Scoot Henderson assists)

34. 2nd Quarter · 9:50

    Brandon Williams makes 25-foot three point jumper (Dalen Terry assists)

35. 2nd Quarter · 9:20

    Brandon Williams makes 9-foot pullup jump shot (Dalen Terry assists)

36. 2nd Quarter · 9:00

    Damian Lillard makes driving layup (Scoot Henderson assists)

37. 2nd Quarter · 8:42

    Malevy Leons makes 23-foot three point jumper (Miles Kelly assists)

38. 2nd Quarter · 8:04

    Dalen Terry makes running layup

39. 2nd Quarter · 7:45

    Donovan Clingan makes two point shot (Vit Krejci assists)

40. 2nd Quarter · 7:45

    Donovan Clingan makes free throw 1 of 1

41. 2nd Quarter · 7:34

    LJ Cryer makes 26-foot three point jumper (Charles Bassey assists)

42. 2nd Quarter · 7:20

    Scoot Henderson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Vit Krejci assists)

43. 2nd Quarter · 6:29

    Charles Bassey makes 15-foot driving floating jump shot

44. 2nd Quarter · 5:26

    Ja Morant makes free throw 1 of 2

45. 2nd Quarter · 5:26

    Ja Morant makes free throw 2 of 2

46. 2nd Quarter · 4:34

    Robert Williams III makes alley oop dunk (Jrue Holiday assists)

47. 2nd Quarter · 4:20

    Charles Bassey makes free throw 1 of 2

48. 2nd Quarter · 3:30

    Ja Morant makes two point shot (Robert Williams III assists)

49. 2nd Quarter · 2:19

    Damian Lillard makes layup (Ja Morant assists)

50. 2nd Quarter · 1:50

    Ja Morant makes driving layup (Donovan Clingan assists)

51. 2nd Quarter · 1:35

    Miles Kelly makes 24-foot three point jumper (Graham Ike assists)

52. 3rd Quarter · 11:46

    Dalen Terry makes tip in dunk

53. 3rd Quarter · 11:20

    Will Richard makes 24-foot three point jumper (Dalen Terry assists)

54. 3rd Quarter · 10:53

    Will Richard makes free throw 1 of 2

55. 3rd Quarter · 10:53

    Will Richard makes free throw 2 of 2

56. 3rd Quarter · 10:36

    Toumani Camara makes free throw 1 of 2

57. 3rd Quarter · 10:36

    Toumani Camara makes free throw 2 of 2

58. 3rd Quarter · 10:23

    Brandon Williams makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot

59. 3rd Quarter · 9:35

    Dalen Terry makes 25-foot running pullup jump shot

60. 3rd Quarter · 9:24

    Deni Avdija makes driving layup

61. 3rd Quarter · 9:05

    Deni Avdija makes tip shot

62. 3rd Quarter · 8:43

    Will Richard makes free throw 1 of 2

63. 3rd Quarter · 8:43

    Will Richard makes free throw 2 of 2

64. 3rd Quarter · 8:34

    Deni Avdija makes 25-foot three point jumper (Ja Morant assists)

65. 3rd Quarter · 8:22

    Charles Bassey makes 16-foot floating jump shot (Brandon Williams assists)

66. 3rd Quarter · 7:57

    Deni Avdija makes driving layup (Ja Morant assists)

67. 3rd Quarter · 7:43

    Dalen Terry makes driving layup

68. 3rd Quarter · 7:29

    Miles Kelly makes 23-foot running pullup jump shot (Dalen Terry assists)

69. 3rd Quarter · 7:15

    Micah Potter makes 25-foot three point jumper (Scoot Henderson assists)

70. 3rd Quarter · 6:57

    Micah Potter makes tip shot

71. 3rd Quarter · 6:29

    Robert Williams III makes 1-foot layup (Jrue Holiday assists)

72. 3rd Quarter · 5:37

    Graham Ike makes 25-foot three point jumper (Alex Toohey assists)

73. 3rd Quarter · 5:20

    Scoot Henderson makes free throw 1 of 2

74. 3rd Quarter · 5:20

    Scoot Henderson makes free throw 2 of 2

75. 3rd Quarter · 4:50

    Robert Williams III makes tip in dunk

76. 3rd Quarter · 4:31

    Jrue Holiday makes running layup (Sidy Cissoko assists)

77. 3rd Quarter · 3:51

    Graham Ike makes 26-foot three point jumper

78. 3rd Quarter · 3:15

    Jrue Holiday makes 25-foot running pullup jump shot

79. 3rd Quarter · 2:08

    Dalen Terry makes two point shot

80. 3rd Quarter · 1:41

    Charles Bassey makes 14-foot floating jump shot (Dalen Terry assists)

81. 3rd Quarter · 1:18

    Miles Kelly makes 29-foot running pullup jump shot

82. 3rd Quarter · 44.1

    Will Richard makes free throw 1 of 2

83. 3rd Quarter · 44.1

    Will Richard makes free throw 2 of 2

84. 3rd Quarter · 5.7

    Micah Potter makes free throw 1 of 2

85. 3rd Quarter · 5.7

    Micah Potter makes free throw 2 of 2

86. 4th Quarter · 11:32

    LJ Cryer makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (Dalen Terry assists)

87. 4th Quarter · 11:15

    Chris Youngblood makes 12-foot driving floating jump shot (Yang Hansen assists)

88. 4th Quarter · 11:05

    Miles Kelly makes free throw 1 of 2

89. 4th Quarter · 11:05

    Miles Kelly makes free throw 2 of 2

90. 4th Quarter · 10:00

    Jeremy Sochan makes 12-foot pullup jump shot (Yang Hansen assists)

91. 4th Quarter · 9:39

    LJ Cryer makes free throw 1 of 2

92. 4th Quarter · 9:28

    Branden Carlson makes two point shot

93. 4th Quarter · 8:58

    Yang Hansen makes free throw 1 of 2

94. 4th Quarter · 8:58

    Yang Hansen makes free throw 2 of 2

95. 4th Quarter · 8:33

    Chris Youngblood makes 26-foot running jump shot (Yang Hansen assists)

96. 4th Quarter · 7:44

    Branden Carlson makes tip shot

97. 4th Quarter · 7:15

    Charles Bassey makes tip shot

98. 4th Quarter · 7:07

    Jeremy Sochan makes 23-foot three point jumper (Vit Krejci assists)

99. 4th Quarter · 6:28

    Alex Toohey makes free throw 1 of 2

100. 4th Quarter · 6:28

     Alex Toohey makes free throw 2 of 2

101. 4th Quarter · 6:04

     Jeremy Sochan makes 25-foot three point jumper (Chris Youngblood assists)

102. 4th Quarter · 5:32

     Dalen Terry makes free throw 1 of 2

103. 4th Quarter · 4:53

     Jeremy Sochan makes 7-foot running dunk (Chris Youngblood assists)

104. 4th Quarter · 4:35

     Miles Kelly makes 23-foot three pointer

105. 4th Quarter · 4:11

     Yang Hansen makes 3-foot two point shot (Micah Potter assists)

106. 4th Quarter · 3:46

     Will Richard makes 25-foot three point jumper (Dalen Terry assists)

107. 4th Quarter · 3:28

     Micah Potter makes 13-foot driving floating jump shot (Yang Hansen assists)

108. 4th Quarter · 3:28

     Micah Potter makes free throw 1 of 1

109. 4th Quarter · 3:04

     Miles Kelly makes 4-foot driving floating jump shot

110. 4th Quarter · 2:41

     Jayson Kent makes 23-foot three point jumper (John Tonje assists)

111. 4th Quarter · 1:26

     Graham Ike makes driving layup (Dalen Terry assists)

112. 4th Quarter · 1:17

     Micah Potter makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jayson Kent assists)

113. 4th Quarter · 1:08

     Will Richard makes 24-foot three point jumper (Miles Kelly assists)

114. 4th Quarter · 49.1

     Yang Hansen makes 1-foot two point shot (Chris Youngblood assists)

115. 4th Quarter · 42.8

     Dalen Terry makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot (Miles Kelly assists)

116. 4th Quarter · 33.2

     Chris Youngblood makes 24-foot three point step back jumpshot

117. 4th Quarter · 18.4

     Alex Toohey makes 23-foot jump bank shot (Miles Kelly assists)

118. 4th Quarter · 6.1

     Dalen Terry makes 25-foot running jump shot (Will Richard assists)