The Chase Center was buzzing, but not for the reasons you’d usually expect. When you check a warriors basketball game score and see a 22-point gap, it’s easy to just shrug and move on.
Golden State 119, Portland 97.
On paper, that’s just a Tuesday night mismatch. But if you actually watched the flow of this one, something weird was happening. Stephen Curry, the greatest shooter to ever walk the earth, finished with seven points. Seven. He went 2-for-9 from the floor. Usually, when Steph has a "triple-single" kind of night, the Warriors are getting run off their own court. Not this time. Instead, the Warriors looked like a completely different animal, systematically dismantling a short-handed Blazers squad through pure ball movement and a bench that suddenly looks terrifying.
Breaking Down the Warriors Basketball Game Score
The final tally of 119-97 doesn't quite capture how much of a "track meet" the first half was. Golden State came out of the gate like they had a flight to catch. They dropped 38 points in the first quarter alone, hitting 8 of their first 15 shots from beyond the arc. By the time the halftime buzzer rang, the Warriors were up 67-41. That 26-point cushion was their largest halftime lead of the entire 2025-26 season so far.
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Portland was playing from behind the 8-ball before the tip-off even happened. They were missing Deni Avdija, who has been a revelation for them this year averaging over 26 points a game. Without his scoring gravity, the Blazers looked lost. Shaedon Sharpe tried to keep them afloat with 19 points, and Caleb Love added 17, but they were essentially throwing pebbles at a tank.
The Weirdest Stat of the Night
Honestly, the most insane part of this warriors basketball game score isn't the point total. It’s the record they broke. According to Elias Sports Bureau, this game featured an NBA-record 21 different players making at least one three-pointer. It felt like everyone on both rosters—from the starters to the guys who usually only see the floor during garbage time—was finding nylon.
Who Actually Won the Game for Golden State?
If it wasn't Curry, who was it?
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Jimmy Butler played the role of the steady hand, chipping in 16 points and looking like he’s finally fully integrated into Steve Kerr’s system. But the real story was De’Anthony Melton. He exploded for 23 points off the bench, which is a season-high for him.
Key Performances That Shifted the Momentum
- De'Anthony Melton: 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting. He’s now hit double digits in five of his last six games.
- Stephen Curry: Only 7 points, but 11 assists. He was basically a quarterback out there.
- Moses Moody: Scored 14 points and, in a cool "passing of the torch" moment, moved past current GM Mike Dunleavy for 12th place on the Warriors' all-time three-pointers list.
- Gui Santos: He didn't score much, but he grabbed a career-high 4 steals. The energy was infectious.
Is This Style of Play Sustainable?
Kinda. The Warriors are currently sitting at 22-19. They aren't the world-beaters they were in 2017, but this win shows they can survive a night where Steph’s shot is flat. That’s been the biggest criticism of this roster for years: "No Steph, no win."
By spreading the wealth—as evidenced by that 21-player 3-point record—they’re becoming harder to scout. You can double-team Curry all you want, but if Melton and Moody are hitting from the corners and Al Horford is facilitating from the top of the key, defenses eventually just break.
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The Blazers, now 19-22, have some soul-searching to do. They’ve lost two in a row after a five-game heater. Without Avdija, they look like a lottery team. With him, they’re a playoff threat. It's a thin line in the Western Conference.
What to Watch for Next
If you’re tracking the warriors basketball game score to see if they’re legit contenders, keep an eye on their defensive rotations. They held Portland to 43% shooting and forced 22 turnovers. That’s the "Old Warriors" DNA right there.
The schedule doesn't get easier. They’ve got a date with the Knicks coming up at the Chase Center on Thursday. New York plays a much more physical, grinding style than Portland, so we’ll see if the Warriors' "everyone shoots" strategy holds up when they’re getting bumped and bruised in the paint.
Basically, enjoy the blowout win, but don't get too comfortable. The West is a meat grinder this year, and one good night against a short-handed Blazers team doesn't punch your ticket to the Finals.
Actionable Takeaways for Warriors Fans
- Watch the Bench: De’Anthony Melton is the X-factor right now. If he’s scoring 15+, the Warriors almost never lose.
- Track the Turnover Battle: When the Warriors keep it under 15 turnovers, they are elite. They forced 22 against Portland—that’s the winning formula.
- Don't Panic Over Steph: A 7-point night is a fluke. The fact they won by 22 regardless is actually a massive "green flag" for the team's depth.
Check the injury reports for the upcoming Knicks game specifically to see if the Warriors can maintain this defensive intensity against a much more physical frontcourt. If Horford and Jackson-Davis can hold the line in the middle, the shooters will have the freedom to keep that scoreboard moving.