The Golden State Warriors will avoid the play-in tournament with a win Sunday over the Portland Trail Blazers, who already waved the white flag on their season.
That set the stage for a lopsided matchup to conclude the regular season.
Golden State ended the first quarter with a 55-27 lead, setting an NBA record for most points scored in the opening period.
The Warriors finish the first quarter with 55 points, the most points scored in a first quarter in NBA history.
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) April 9, 2023
Klay Thompson came out firing Sunday, making five three-pointers among his 17 first-quarter points. Jordan Poole drained four baskets from downtown, and Stephen Curry added eight points.
The Blazers essentially quit the season when shutting down Damian Lillard in late March. Portland has since lost eight of nine games and will likely conclude the season with another loss to Golden State.
Anfernee Simmons, Jusuf Nurkic, and Jerami Grant are also out of action, so the Warriors are pulverizing a B-team. Yet it’s still nice to see them dominate in Portland considering the defending champions’ abysmal 10-30 road record.
While the victory ensures the Warriors finish no lower than No. 6, they might not want to climb any higher. The Warriors could set up a difficult first-round matchup against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns if they defeat the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. The Clippers are in a close game against Phoenix’s reserves.
Up 84-53 at halftime, Golden State will likely sit their stars early rather than chase more records.
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