Home Basketball Warriors’ win, Kings’ loss tightens play-in race: Warriors’ win, Kings’ loss tightens play-in race

Warriors’ win, Kings’ loss tightens play-in race: Warriors’ win, Kings’ loss tightens play-in race

Basketball — 04/12/2024

Stephen Curry tallied 22 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, contributing significantly to the Golden State Warriors’ 100-92 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.

This victory resulted in a three-way tie for eighth place in the Western Conference. Jonathan Kuminga added 19 points, while Andrew Wiggins scored 15, aiding Golden State in securing their ninth win in ten games. The outcome maintains the Warriors’ hopes alive for a position in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 game during the Western Conference play-in round.

Apr 11, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after a three point basket during the second half against Portland Trail Blazers forward Justin Minaya (24) at Moda Center.

Unfortunately, Golden State faced the absence of standout players Klay Thompson and Draymond Green due to right knee injuries. Deandre Ayton led the Portland Trail Blazers with 25 points and 11 rebounds, supported by Scoot Henderson’s 18 points and 12 assists, but their efforts couldn’t prevent the team from losing for the 13th time in the past 15 games.

In another game, the New Orleans Pelicans secured a crucial win in the Western Conference playoff race by defeating the Sacramento Kings 135-123. CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson both contributed 31 points, aiding New Orleans in maintaining a one-game lead over the Phoenix Suns for the sixth playoff spot in the West. Trey Murphy III added 27 points, supporting the Pelicans’ victory and completing a rare five-game series sweep over the Kings.

Despite De’Aaron Fox’s impressive 33-point performance for Sacramento, they couldn’t overturn the early game lead established by the Pelicans. Elsewhere, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Detroit Pistons 127-105, with DeMar DeRozan scoring 39 points. This victory secured the Bulls’ No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference, positioning them to host the No. 10 seed Atlanta Hawks in the play-in tournament. The Pistons, led by Jalen Duren’s 20 points and 11 rebounds, suffered their franchise-record 67th loss of the season.

Additionally, the New York Knicks extended their winning streak to three games by defeating the Boston Celtics 118-109, with Jalen Brunson contributing 39 points. Despite the loss, the Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum’s 18 points, remain in the No. 1 seed in the East. Lastly, the Utah Jazz ended a 13-game losing streak by defeating the Houston Rockets 124-121, with Luka Samanic scoring a season-high 22 points.

Despite Fred VanVleet’s 42-point effort for the Rockets, they failed to secure the win, marking their sixth loss in seven games.