The Golden State Warriors ended the regular season on a high note with a 157-101 rout of a depleted Portland Trail Blazers side on Sunday. In doing so, the reigning NBA champions set a new record, scoring the most points in a first quarter in league history with the 55 points they scored at the Moda Center.
They led 55-27 after the first quarter, opening a 28-point lead, and finished the first half 84-53, with a 31-point lead. The twelve 3-pointers they also made in the first quarter tied the league’s record for most 3-pointers in a quarter, and their 27 3-pointers in the game helped them become only the fourth team in NBA history to record four games with 25 or more 3-pointers made in a single season.
What a first quarter for Golden State ????
55 points (breaks NBA record for most in a 1Q)
12 threes (ties NBA record for most in a quarter)????: Live on the NBA App pic.twitter.com/7MMqiI53yf
— NBA (@NBA) April 9, 2023
Stephen Curry led the Warriors in scoring with 26 points, grabbed five rebounds, and knocked down five three-pointers. Moses Moody came off the bench to add 25 points and four three-pointers, while Jordan Poole scored 21 points and grabbed four boards as Golden State finished the regular season with 44 wins and 38 losses to seal a sixth-place finish in the Western Conference and secure an automatic spot in the playoffs.
PLAYOFF BOUND.@kpthrive | 2023 Playoffs pic.twitter.com/rHLkzjg6No
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 9, 2023
“We’ve played really well the last couple of weeks,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I think we’ve won eight of 10.
“Today guys were locked in right from the beginning. Guys knew what was at stake and controlled the game from the opening tap so hopefully that carries over to next week.”
Also, five-time All-Star and one arm of the iconic “Splash Brothers” duo, Klay Thompson, finished the game with 20 points to become just the third player in NBA history to finish a single season with scoring at least 300 3-pointers.
He joins teammate and nine-time All-Star Curry, who did it four times, and Philadelphia 76ers’ guard James Harden as the players to achieve such a feat.
It’s Official ????
Klay is the third player in NBA history to reach 300 threes in a single season. pic.twitter.com/jQ1ErSZ5s9
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 9, 2023
Along with his 20 points against the Trail Blazers, Thompson, who suffered two devastating injuries that kept him out of action for two seasons, also hit six 3s—the most of any player on both sides—to finish the season as the player with the most 3-pointers with 301.
“It’s cool to lead the league in 3s made,” Thompson said. “It’s something I’ve never done before.
“It’s a testament to my hard work over the last few years, some dark times that have turned into some beautiful moments.”
For Portland (33-49), Skylar Mays led with 21 points along with 11 assists. Shaedon Sharpe had 18 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, and Jeenathan Williams added 17 points in the Blazers’ final game of the season with regular starters Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic, and Jerami Grant all sidelined.
