For the second game in a row, the Warriors built a big enough lead in the fourth quarter to pull the starters. Coach Steve Kerr emptied the bench up 19 points with four minutes left in the Warriors’ 126-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday. Golden State has won five straight games and is now 15-14.

Klay Thompson’s hot third quarter helped Portland erase an 11-point first-quarter lead fueled by the Warriors’ seven turnovers. Thompson scored 11 consecutive points in a 13-point quarter, including three 3-pointers, to turn an 11-point lead into a 12-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter. He finished with a team-high 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field and 6-of-10 from beyond the arc.

The Warriors outscored the Trail Blazers 34-16 in the third quarter, reversing a trend of blowing big leads after halftime. The team’s 38 assists paint a picture of a complete effort from the starters and bench alike, pushing the pace and involving a large number of scorers.

Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors receives a high-five from Jonathan Kuminga after scoring 28 points against the Portland Trailblazers on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. (Bay Area News Group/Karl Mondon)

Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors receives a high-five from Jonathan Kuminga after scoring 28 points against the Portland Trailblazers on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. (Bay Area News Group/Karl Mondon) 

Brandin Podziemski had a plus-25 rating in 32 minutes and a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double. Chris Paul had 11 assists in 27 minutes, his third straight game with double-digit assists. Along with Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis around the rim, the pair danced to find Curry, who was cold from three, for 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting.