NBA GAME RECAP

Warriors take 1-0 lead after win over Trail Blazers

The Sports Xchange

May 01, 2016 at 6:27 pm.

May 1, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots the basketball against Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) during the third quarter in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers 118-106. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

May 1, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots the basketball against Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) during the third quarter in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers 118-106. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. — Klay Thompson bombed in a game-high 37 points and Draymond Green recorded his first career postseason triple-double as the Golden State Warriors ran off early from the Portland Trail Blazers en route to a 118-106 victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Sunday.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Tuesday in Oakland.

Even without reigning Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry, who is out with a sprained MCL in his right knee, the Warriors ran up 118 points on 47.3 percent shooting against a team less than 48 hours removed from having closed out a Round 1 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Thompson hit a 3-pointer just 17 seconds into the game and the Warriors never looked back, building early 14-4 and 22-7 leads en route to their seventh consecutive win in Game 1 of a playoff series.

Hitting four 3-pointers, Thompson poured in 18 of his 37 points in the first quarter, during which he single-handedly outscored the Trail Blazers 18-17.

Seven teammates got into the scoring act as well, as Golden State outshot Portland 60.0 percent to 23.8 in the first quarter while building a 37-17 lead.

The Trail Blazers were never closer than nine after that and wound up losing Game 1 on the road for the second consecutive series.

In fact, Portland got blown out by 20 and 21 points in its first two games against the Clippers before rallying to win four straight.

It appears duplicating that feat against Golden State, even without Curry, won’t be as easy.

After being outplayed in the second quarter, the Warriors started the second half the same way they began the first, getting five points from Green and a 3-pointer from Thompson in a 12-4 burst that turned a 14-point game at the intermission into a 77-55 contest.

This time, the Trail Blazers never seriously challenged, and in fact fell behind by as many as 26 before the end of the third quarter.

Thompson’s highest scoring game of the postseason (he had 34 in Game 2 against Houston in the first round) came on 14-for-28 shooting, including 7-for-14 from 3-point range.

He also had the primary coverage on Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard, who managed a team-high 30 points but on just 8-for-26 shooting.

Green’s triple-double consisted of 23 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in 38 minutes.

Andrew Bogut (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Harrison Barnes (10 points, 12 rebounds) recorded double-doubles for the Warriors, and Shaun Livingston, starting in place of Curry, contributed 12 points and six assists to the win.

With all three members of their starting frontcourt recording at least 12 rebounds, the Warriors dominated the Trail Blazers on the boards to the tune of 55-40.

Golden State made 11 of its 31 3-point attempts in the game.

Lillard hit 10 straight free throws and four of his eight 3-point attempts to account for a majority of his 30 points.

Reserves Allen Crabbe (15 points) and Ed Davis (11 points, seven rebounds) were productive for the Trail Blazers, helping keep the final score respectable on a day when Portland’s five starters combined to shoot 23-for-75.

CJ McCollum was harassed into 5-for-17 shooting on a 12-point day. He missed all four of his 3-point attempts.

Al-Farouq Aminu added 15 points and Moe Harkless 10 for the Trail Blazers, who shot 40.2 percent overall and 32.3 percent on 3’s (10 of 31).

Warriors reserve Anderson Varejao and Trail Blazers backup Gerald Henderson were ejected from the game after drawing two technical fouls apiece.

NOTES: Warriors coach Steve Kerr reported before the game that the chances of PG Stephen Curry (sprained knee) playing in Game 2 on Tuesday were “slim,” but that the club was hoping to get him into full-court drills later in the week in hopes he might play in Game 3 in Portland on Saturday. … Asked if he felt “lucky” to get to open the series against a Warriors team without Curry, Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts noted, “They’re a great team without Steph, they’re a historically great team with him.” … The Trail Blazers and Warriors have never previously met in a playoff series despite both having made the postseason in the same year eight previous times (1977, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2014, 2015). … None of the regular-season games between the Trail Blazers and Warriors were decided by fewer than 16 points this season, with Portland winning by 32 and Golden State prevailing by 20, 16 and 25.