OAKLAND — The Golden State Warriors’ rampage through the NBA continued Saturday at the expense of the Portland Trail Blazers in a 135-90 blowout victory.
The Warriors hit the 115 point and 30 assist mark — again — keeping them on pace to become the first NBA team since the Showtime Lakers to average such offensive prosperity on a nightly basis.
Kevin Durant’s MVP candidacy is growing right alongside the young season — something very few experts projected prior to the season. Durant’s efficiency is at an all-time high (53.8 percent), an ode to how the Warriors pass the basketball but also his personal quest for redefining his legacy. Saturday night, it was another 34 points, on 11/13 shooting and 11 rebounds — all of that in just three quarters. LeBron James is a dominant force; Kevin Durant is a consistent killer.
The first nine minutes of the game were a thrilling spectacle worth the price of admission. Durant and Steph Curry combined for 22 points and missed just one shot. Curry finished with 19 points on 5/8 made three-pointers. The Blazers, who hold the NBA’s last ranked defense, never led once in the game. To add insult to injury, Curry bombed a three-point buzzer-beater to end the third quarter, escalating the lead to 108-72.
The Warriors improved to 24-4 on the season, staying ahead of the 23-5 pace they set in Steve Kerr’s debut year in 2014-15. A season ago under Luke Walton, the Warriors started 27-1. Golden State didn’t lose their fourth game until Jan. 16 last season to the Detroit Pistons.
Klay Thompson added 16 points on 7/15 shooting. Draymond Green had a quiet scoring night (3 points, 1/4 shooting), but gathered 13 assists and 12 rebounds. None of the starters played in the fourth quarter.
Zaza Pachulia returned to the starting lineup after a wrist injury kept him sidelined the last three games. He finished with 4 points and a 7 rebounds in 17 minutes.
Ian Clark’s improvement off the bench has been one of the most impressive storylines this season. He chipped a career-high 23 points on Saturday — 10 of those in the first half, 13 in garbage time. Clark isn’t Leandro Barbosa yet, but the slight drop-off in play has not been noticeable.
The Warriors will get the next two nights off before hosting the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.