SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson scored 28 points, Stephen Curry had 27 and the Golden State Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 126-106 for their fifth straight victory.
The Splash Brothers combined for 22 points in the third quarter to pace the Warriors to a 12-point advantage to start the fourth. Thompson, who has scored at least 20 points in his last five games after a sluggish start, had 11 straight points in the quarter – hitting back-to-back 3s.
“I think over the last five games, he´s just taking better shots,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said according to AP. “And as a result, our team is more settled. We just feel like we´re operating more efficiently.”
Thompson said that every time he shoots the ball, “it’s a good shot.”
“It just seems to be going in at a higher frequency these last five, six games,” Thompson said.
Curry said that Thompson has been letting the game come to him in this recent stretch.
“Consistently, the ball is moving, he´s finding good looks – and that´s the Klay Thompson we know,” Curry said.
The five-game winning streak matches Golden State’s longest of the season. The Warriors improved to 15-14, their first time over .500 since Nov. 12 as they head into a Christmas showdown at the defending champion Denver Nuggets.
“Marquee game on Christmas, it´s going to be a great atmosphere,” Curry said. “We´ve been in that environment before, so understanding what it´s going be like on the road.”
Golden State improved to 3-0 against Portland this month, beating the Trail Blazers at home Dec. 6 and on the road Dec. 17.
Two dunks by Trayce Jackson-Davis and a 3-pointer by Brandin Podziemski to start the fourth put the Warriors comfortably ahead at 96-79 with 10:39 left in regulation.
