In a dominant 103-86 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, Jimmy Butler powered the Golden State Warriors with 24 points, but the win wasn’t enough to clinch a playoff spot with one game remaining in the regular season.
The Warriors, now 48-33, still face an uncertain postseason future as they await the outcome of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ victory over the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the day. Golden State’s fate will be determined in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Despite the uncertainty, the Warriors put on a strong performance. Butler, who was perfect from the free-throw line, made all 11 of his attempts and added 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Stephen Curry also contributed 14 points, helping the Warriors open up a commanding lead.
Golden State dominated the game after a slow start. The Blazers, who were already eliminated from postseason contention, held a brief 20-14 lead in the first quarter. However, a 3-pointer by Buddy Hield helped the Warriors gain control, pushing their lead to 38-27.
The Warriors never looked back, extending their lead to 50-37 at halftime. A 17-3 run sparked by Moses Moody in the third quarter opened up a 67-42 advantage, and Butler capped it with an alley-oop dunk from Draymond Green. Golden State led by as many as 27 points during the game.
While Butler led the way, other Warriors contributed to the win. Brandin Podziemski added 10 points and 7 rebounds, while Moody contributed 9 points off the bench. Draymond Green, despite struggling offensively, had a strong all-around game with 7 rebounds and 5 assists.
Portland was paced by Jabari Walker, who scored 19 points, and Rayan Rupert, who chipped in 15. However, the Blazers’ offense was inefficient, shooting just 37.6% from the field and 20% from beyond the arc.
The Blazers were missing key players, including Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Anfernee Simons, due to injury or illness.
