• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Trail Blazers-Warriors Preview

Mar 10, 2016 - 9:51 PM Seemingly the only potential speed bump on the Golden State Warriors' way to 50 consecutive regular-season wins at home is a home-grown star and his team.

Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers put Golden State's streak to the test Friday night after dominating the league's most dominant team a few weeks ago.

Of the Warriors' six losses, the most lopsided came in Portland as Lillard had the game of his life. The Oakland native had a career-high 51 points, seven assists and six steals in a 137-105 victory Feb. 19, snapping Golden State's 11-game win streak.

"Obviously they're gonna change some things up that we did really good, but if we have another 50-point performance from Damian, then I'm pretty sure we'll be in another good spot to win the game," Blazers guard Allen Crabbe said.

This is Lillard's first trip to Oracle Arena since last April, looking to prevent the Warriors (57-6) from pushing their NBA-record home winning streak to 47 games. Portland (34-31) is the only opponent remaining on Golden State's six-game homestand which isn't more than 10 games under .500 - the final three are Phoenix, New Orleans and New York.

"I think I'm more excited this time going back than I have been since my rookie year," Lillard said. "It's gonna be fun. Just because of the kind of season that we're having. It's a big game for us. They haven't lost at home, so it's an opportunity for us to go there and be the first team to do it."

He's won in Oakland once in five games as a pro. He had 37 points in his Oracle Arena debut in 2013 but has since averaged 18.0 while shooting 34.8 percent.

Lillard had no such trouble in February against the Warriors, going 9 of 12 from 3-point range. Stephen Curry had seven 3s en route to his 31 points, but Golden State finished 12 for 34 from beyond the arc and Portland was 17 for 30.

The Blazers lost the previous four meetings - one in January by 20 - before becoming the only Warriors opponent this season to top 125 points and 52 percent from the field.

"I'm sure that they probably have a little bit of a sour taste in their mouth about how it happened," Lillard said.

He had another 50-point night last week in Toronto, then scored 41 on Tuesday as Portland ended a three-game losing streak with a 116-109 overtime win over Washington. Prior to that skid, only Golden State had more wins since Jan. 10.

The Blazers have the ammunition to keep up with the Warriors' league-best long-range shooting, ranking among the NBA's top five in 3s made (669) and percentage (36.3). C.J. McCollum has hit 51.8 percent in the last 11 games.

"Obviously they lost three in a row recently, but they've been rolling," Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "Obviously two very good scorers, looking forward to the challenge."

Lillard's 182 3-pointers rank third behind Golden State's Klay Thompson (196) and Curry's league-record 304.

Curry has been inconsistent this month, going 16 of 47 from 3-point range, but remains a threat from anywhere. The reigning MVP had 12 points Wednesday but hit a 55-footer at the halftime buzzer in a 115-94 victory over Utah, improving to 13 of 27 from 30 feet and beyond.

"That's not a surprise anymore," Green said.

Sixth man Andre Iguodala returned after missing three of four games with a tight hamstring, chipping in four points, four rebounds and three assists.

"We're a different team with Andre," coach Steve Kerr said. "... He does everything for us."

Iguodala had one of his worst games in the Portland loss, shooting 1 for 6 with four turnovers. Golden State's point differential with him on the floor was a season-worst minus-20.