The Portland Trail Blazers’ preseason run hit its first snag Friday night, as the Golden State Warriors handed them a 128-118 loss on the road and snapped what had been a perfect exhibition slate.
Portland spent most of the night chasing. The Warriors built a lead that ballooned to 25 points, and the Blazers never fully dug out of the hole after a rough opening stretch that included a 17-2 Golden State run in the first quarter. A shaky first half and a bench battle that tilted hard in the Warriors’ favor told the story.
Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 23 points, two assists and one rebound. He went 4-for-10 from the floor, 2-for-5 from 3-point range, and was automatic at the stripe, hitting all 13 of his free throws.
Ja Morant turned in what was arguably his best preseason outing, finishing with 19 points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal while going 8-for-10 and making all three of his 3s. Scoot Henderson had 17 points despite an uneven night as a shooter.
Deni Avdija had a tough one, shooting 33 percent and missing all four of his attempts from beyond the arc while putting up 12 points, three assists and four rebounds. Toumani Camara added 11 points and knocked down three triples, and Donovan Clingan finished with six points and 11 rebounds.
Golden State got 20 points from Stephen Curry, while Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford each scored 17. Georges Niang chipped in 15, and Gary Payton II added 13.
The Blazers’ problems showed up everywhere early. They shot just 5-for-17 from deep in the first half, while Golden State knocked down nine threes.
Portland also turned it over 10 times, including seven in the opening quarter, and gave up nine offensive rebounds. The Warriors’ bench then made the gap even wider, outscoring Portland’s reserves 36-7 in the first half.
Horford was a constant problem, and the Blazers kept leaving him open on the perimeter. Portland also helped the Warriors along with a series of self-inflicted mistakes, including Clingan being stripped by Yaxel Lendenborg on a defensive rebound in the second quarter and Morant following a turnover with a lazy foul on Podziemski on the next possession.
The preseason results before Friday - wins over a depleted Warriors team, the London Lions and the Sacramento Kings - didn’t reveal much. This one was a better test, and it showed Portland has plenty to sharpen before things start counting.
The Blazers open the regular season Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns at Moda Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
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