SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 24 points and moved within two 3-pointers of becoming the first player in NBA history with 4,000, Jimmy Butler had a triple-double, and the surging Golden State Warriors won their fifth straight game by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 130-120 on Monday night.
Curry, who became the 26th player in NBA history to score 25,000 points during Saturday’s win against Detroit, needed seven 3s to reach the milestone. He made his first two early then another three in the third.
Butler contributed 15 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for the Warriors' first triple-double this season. Golden State improved to 12-2 since Butler made his debut Feb. 8 and 12-1 in games he played.
Gary Payton II scored a career-high 26 points in the Warriors' 10th win in their last 11 games.
Deni Avdija returned from a two-game absence with a leg injury to record season-bests of 34 points, 16 rebounds and six assists in the Blazers’ fourth straight defeat. He's the first Blazer since Clyde Drexler on March 20, 1990, with that stat line.
Anfernee Simons added 32 points as Portland completed a back-to-back following a 119-112 home loss to the Pistons on Sunday.
Takeaways
Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant was sidelined for another game because of his troublesome right knee.
Warriors: Brandin Podziemski missed a second straight game with low back soreness that forced him out late in the first quarter at Brooklyn on March 6.
Key moment
Butler pulled down an offensive rebound with 3:33 remaining to give him his 18th career triple-double in the regular season and 21st overall.
Key stat
Golden State shot 51.2% from 3-point range, with Buddy Hield knocking down six 3s, Payton with four and three for 7-foot big man Quinten Post.
Up next
The Blazers return home to face the Knicks on Wednesday, while the Warriors host their Northern California rival Sacramento Kings on Thursday to continue a seven-game homestand.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Janie Mccauley, The Associated Press
