By peter.
In a pulse-pounding NBA Cup West Group C clash at Chase Center on Friday night, November 21, 2025, the Portland Trail Blazers stunned the Golden State Warriors 127-123, snapping a 1,512-day road-win drought against the Dubs (last: Jan. 1, 2021). Deni Avdija stole the show with a career-night masterpiece—26 points, a personal-best 14 assists, and 6 rebounds—clutching the game with 12-of-13 free throws, including a pair with 9.8 seconds left to ice it. Despite shooting just 6-for-14 from the field, Avdija’s playmaking (near triple-double) orchestrated Portland’s balanced attack, improving them to 2-1 in Cup play while dropping Golden State to 1-2.
Key Performances: Avdija’s Magic, Curry’s Fireworks
Portland’s depth overwhelmed Golden State’s star power, with four Blazers scoring 15+ in a wire-to-wire fourth-quarter lead (up 115-111 late). Donovan Clingan erupted for a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds in his breakout, while Caleb Love (26 points) and Toumani Camara (20 points, including 16 in the first quarter alongside Clingan’s 10) set the tone early (16 combined points, 6 boards). Sidy Cissoko chipped in 15 off the bench, embodying the Blazers’ youth surge (average age ~23).
Stephen Curry’s 38-point barrage—9-of-15 from deep, including two daggers in the closing minutes—kept the Warriors alive, but it wasn’t enough in their third straight L. Jimmy Butler (20 points) and Brandin Podziemski (20) provided support, with Draymond Green (11 points, 8 rebounds) grinding inside. A pivotal offensive foul on Butler (rebound battle, upheld after Steve Kerr’s challenge) stalled GS’s rally at 115-111 with 4:08 left.
Game Flow: Blazers’ Blitz to Warriors’ Rally
Portland exploded out of the gates, with Camara and Clingan combining for 16 points and 6 rebounds in a dominant Q1. Golden State flipped the script in Q2, erupting for 44 points—fueled by Curry’s 5-of-6 shooting and five triples—to snag a 72-65 halftime edge. The Blazers clawed back post-break, leading wire-to-wire in the fourth behind Avdija’s vision and free-throw clinic, holding off Curry’s late sorcery.
Pre-game pomp added flavor: The Warriors honored their 1975 championship squad’s 50th anniversary, with Hall of Famer Rick Barry and alumni in attendance—a nod to the franchise’s storied past amid a gritty present.
Standings & Stakes: Cup Momentum for Portland
This win vaults Portland (6-9 overall, 2-1 Cup) into contention in West Group C, while Golden State (9-8 overall, 1-2 Cup) licks wounds from a skid. The Blazers’ upset—defying a 7.5-point spread—highlights their rebuild grit, with Avdija (25.9 PPG lead) emerging as a cornerstone. For the Warriors, Curry’s 38 masked deeper issues—defensive lapses and Butler’s integration woes—in a season where every Cup point counts toward knockout hopes.
X lit up post-buzzer: “Avdija’s takeover is what rebuilds look like” (@NBACentral), while Warriors fans vented: “Curry deserves better than this supporting cast” (@WarriorsWorld). Next: Portland hosts Sacramento (Nov. 23); GS faces the Clippers (Nov. 24). In the NBA Cup’s pressure cooker, the Blazers just turned up the heat.
#NBACup #TrailBlazersWin #AvdijaAssists #Curry38 #GSvPOR
