Blazers Clinch Five Seed Despite Curry’s 47 Points
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Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images(PORTLAND, Ore.) — LaMarcus Aldridge hit a go-ahead jumper in the final moments of overtime to put Portland ahead 118-117, as the Trail Blazers edged Golden State by a final of 119-117 on Sunday. With the win, the Blazers locked up the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Aldridge finished with 26 points and called the gutsy win good preparation for the upcoming postseason.
“It definitely shows what we’re going to see in the playoffs where every possession counts,” Aldridge said after the win. “We made a mistake and they made us pay for it and vice versa. I think it was good for us.”
The Warriors (49-31) went on a 14-2 run at the end of the first half to take a 52-44 lead at halftime. Portland (53-28) rallied in the second half, eventually taking an 87-77 lead in the fourth quarter. Stephen Curry scored 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the two squads went back and forth over the final six minutes.
After the Trail Blazers took a 105-102 lead in the last minute of regulation, Draymond Green buried a step-back three with 3.6 seconds remaining to force the extra session. Klay Thompson would eventually give his team a 114-113 lead before Portland made their final push.
On the final possession, Andre Iguodala missed a 3-pointer that Wesley Matthews rebounded to end the game. Curry ended the game with 47 points, the sixth time he has eclipsed the 40 point plateau in his career.
While Portland has clinched the five seed, where they will play Houston in the first round, Golden State must win one of its final two games of the regular season to wrap up the six seed.
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