Warriors vs. Trail Blazers results: Golden State on brink of sweep after comeback Game 3 win

Jacob Janower

•
Warriors vs. Trail Blazers results: Golden State on brink of sweep after comeback Game 3 win image

The Warriors won Game 2 of the Western Conference finals by rallying from a 15-point halftime deficit. In Game 3, it was deja vu — well, almost.

Golden State came back from being down 13 points this time, relying on a third-quarter comeback (surprise!) to win 110-99 and give itself a 3-0 series lead.

Stellar third-quarter defense saved the day for the Warriors. They held the Trail Blazers to just 13 points over the 12 minutes to take the lead. They kept the lead by outscoring their opponent by eight points in a less-than-thrilling final quarter.

The trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green carried the Warriors to the victory. Green recorded a triple-double before the end of the third quarter; Curry (game-high 36) and Thompson (19) combined for 55 points.

MORE: Post-lottery NBA Mock Draft

Portland needed a big performance from Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, and neither really delivered. McCollum led the Blazers with 23 points but he went just 2 of 10 from 3-point range and missed five free throws. Lillard was 5 of 18 from the field and finished with 19 points.

Meyers Leonard was an unlikely hero for Portland on Saturday, at least for the first half. He scored 16 points after receiving the last-minute start over Enes Kanter. Leonard had not scored more than nine points in any other game this postseason.

The Warriors will have a chance to clinch their spot in the NBA Finals on Monday with a win in Game 4.

Sporting News provided updates and highlights from Game 3 of Warriors vs. Trail Blazers. 

Warriors vs. Trail Blazers: Results, highlights from Game 3 of the Western Conference finals

(All times Eastern)

11:39 p.m.: Golden State takes this one 110-99. It really was a tale of two halves.

11:36 p.m.: Missed shots are hurting the Blazers. It's 106-96 Golden State with 55 seconds to play.

11:32 p.m.: Curry and Lillard trade 3s as the Blazers try to get back within striking distance.

11:28 p.m.: After a few misses from McCollum, Alfonzo McKinnie hits a 3 and all of a sudden they lead by double digits with five minutes to play.

11:20 p.m.: Another Damian Lillard miss. He is 3 of 14 from the field.

11:17 p.m.: Back-to-back baskets from Quinn Cook and the Warriors are back up six points.

11:11 p.m.: Ideal start to the fourth quarter for Portland. Zach Collins hits a 3 to tie the game.

11:07 p.m.: Golden State outscores Portland 29-13 in the third quarter and will carry an 82-79 lead into the final stanza.

11:05 p.m.: After Portland briefly retook the lead, Steph Curry hits his fifth 3 of the game to put his team back up. Green has a triple-double as well.

11:02 p.m.: Kevon Looney makes the layup and with 1:54 to play in the third quarter the Warriors have their first lead of the game.

11:01 p.m.: Curry makes two free throws and Alfonzo McKinnie gets a second-chance basket and the Warriors are down by just one.

10:58 p.m.: Green gets it to Bell and the Warriors are within five points. Green is one rebound and two points away from a triple-double.

10:50 p.m.: Draymond Green is being disruptive on both ends. After Portland opens up a 13-point lead, Green's layup is part of a run to make it 73-65.

10:43 p.m.: Not even three minutes into the second half and the resurgent Warriors have already cut it to a single-digit deficit. 

10:40 p.m.: Jordan Bell in the game for the Warriors to start the second half.

10:25 p.m.: Some halftime stats: Curry leads the Warriors with 15 points, but Green has arguably been their best player through the first 24 minutes. He has 14 points, five rebounds and five assists. Leonard has a team-leading 13 points for the Blazers. Lillard and McCollum have combined for 22 points on just 5-of-15 shooting. 

10:22 p.m.: McCollum and Green trade layups in the final seconds of the first half and Portland heads to the locker room up 66-53 at halftime.

10:19 p.m.: Now Portland is starting to pull away. Leonard completes a three-point play and then Seth Curry knocks down a 3. It's an 18-point lead for the Blazers.

10:14 p.m.: Leonard is the first Blazer in double digits and leads the team with ten points.

10:12 p.m.: Steph Curry knocks down his second 3 of the game but Leonard responds with a triple of his own to keep the lead at 13 points.

10:06 p.m.: Now Evan Turner hits a 3 and Portland has its largest lead of the game at 13 points.

10:04 p.m.: Six straight points for the Blazers to get their lead back to nine. All 10 Portland players who have entered the game have scored.

9:58 p.m.: Both sides are trading free throws and field goals. Trail Blazers holding onto a 35-32 lead.

9:53 p.m.: The Warriors get a basket from Jordan Bell to tie the game to open the quarter.

9:47 p.m.: The Trail Blazers lead 29-27 after the first quarter. The Warriors are in a much better place than they were for most of the quarter.

9:44 p.m.: Golden State's deficit is back to two points, 27-25, as we inch closer to the conclusion of the first quarter.

9:37 p.m.: After Curry and the Warriors cut it to a three-point deficit, Portland scores five straight points to get its lead back up to eight points. 

9:32 p.m.: Meyers Leonard is taking full advantage of being slotted into the lineup. He has five points and has made both of his shots. All five Trail Blazers starters have scored as they lead 19-12.

9:30 p.m.: Ice-cold start for the Warriors shooting the ball. They are just 2 of their first 10 from the field.

9:24 p.m.: McCollum is firing on all cylinders. He hits all three free throws and then feed Al-Farouq Aminu for the layup, forcing Steve Kerr to call a timeout. It's 12-5 Trail Blazers.

9:21 p.m.: A 3 from McCollum and a second turnover of the game by Golden State has Portland up 7-2 three minutes into the game.

9:18 p.m.: Lillard hits a 3 for the first basket of the game.

9:16 p.m.: The game is underway. Both teams come up empty on their first possessions.

9:08 p.m.: The full starting lineups for both teams. 

9 p.m.: Looks like there is a surprise change to the Blazers' starting lineup.

8:08 p.m.: Not what we're used to seeing from Steph.

7:31 p.m.: Jusuf Nurkic may be injured, but he is making his mark in the fashion department. This is an elite outfit.

Jacob Janower