Getty Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trailblazers. Billups wasn't happy with his squad after squandering a 23-point lead to the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors tallied their third straight win on February 28, when they took down the Portland Trailblazers. Tuesday’s matchup saw the Dubs claw back from being down 23 points to Portland for the impressive victory.
Jordan Poole poured in a game-high 29 points for the Dubs. He scored 12 of those points as Golden State put together one of their signature, monster third quarters. The Dubs came out of the half and outscored the Blazers 39-17.
After watching his team’s lead melt away, Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups sat down with the media. He shared that he’d warned his team at halftime that the Warriors were capable of a big run.
“We knew that they were going to make runs throughout the game,” Billups told reporters. “We had a great start, a great first half. I was talking at halftime, I said, ‘you know they’re going to make a run, this is what they do. Third quarters, this is what they do. Don’t overreact to it. Everyone stay calm, stay poised.’ We didn’t do a good job of that. I thought we lost trust in passing the ball. We passed it really well in the first half. Even when they went to their box and one, we still stayed spaced. We got the ball to the middle and we just passed it around. Guys hit shots, guys made shots and we just stayed aggressive. We just didn’t do that in the second half, particularly in the third quarter. I don’t think we shot good shots and we lost trust in the pass and that hurt us.”
Billups then highlighted Golden State’s higher level of play at home, explaining that there’s less room for error when visiting Chase Center.
“In this building you can’t shoot quick, poor shots. They get out and go, they score quickly on you, you can’t turn it over and you can’t take bad shots.”
Klay Thompson Sends Warning to NBA After Warriors Comeback
Golden State’s win over Portland helped them slide into sixth place in the Western Conference. Which means if the season ended today (sadly it does not) they’d avoid the Play-In Tournament.
Following the Warriors’ third straight win, Klay Thompson was asked about his team’s momentum.
“I feel it. Yeah, we all feel it,” Thompson said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “With 20 games left, it’s such a golden opportunity for us to increase our seeding. Just getting a great rhythm and these role guys are getting such a great experience right now, it’s going to pay off huge come playoff time. And I promise you this, when we’re healthy, no one wants to see us in the postseason. I promise you that. I mean, we expect to win a championship. While we’re here, everything else is falling short. And that’s a special, privileged position to be in. Not many franchises can wholeheartedly say that.”
“I promise you this … when we’re healthy, no one wants to see us in the postseason.” – Klay
Warriors’ Steve Kerr Highlights Klay Thompson’s Leadership
Thompson certainly sounded confident after Tuesday’s comeback. The sharpshooting guard has been all-in on the Dubs as of late. He even told the media he has been working to be a better role model for his younger teammates.
If you ask Head coach Steve Kerr, he thinks Thompson has been doing a great job. He recently shined a light on the four-time NBA champion’s improved leadership.
“Klay is really stepping up on the leadership front,” Kerr said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “He’s been more vocal. He is encouraging the guys. I think he recognizes that he is much needed in that role with all of our guys out. He’s done a great job with that.”
Kerr details how Klay is “stepping up on the leadership front”