Eric Paschall Explodes in Warriors’ Win Over the Portland Trail Blazers, 127-118

Fantastic Eric Paschall led the injury-massacred Golden State Warriors to a win over the Portland Trail Blazers. In the rematch of the last year’s Western Conference finals, Paschall dropped 34 points and had 13 rebounds in Warriors’ 127-118 victory.

After an interesting and above everything exciting match at the new Chase Center, Golden State posted its second win of the season. The unreal number of injuries that struck the Dub Nation recently was increased for one more when D’Angelo Russell hurt his ankle yesterday. After dropping three All-Star players due to severe injuries, the fourth one also had to be ruled out. But that just seemed to motivate the rest of the crew.

They would go out and display a definition of a true team-basketball, with all of them playing as one, without caring about the individual stats. Six of all nine players that appeared on the floor this Monday had a double-digit number of points. The hosts would end the night with 28 assists.

“Just a fantastic effort by the whole group. Everybody that we put in came in and gave us big minutes,” coach Steve Kerr said. “It was just fun. It’s a fun group to coach because they’re young and hungry and they were fighting like crazy out there the whole game. That’s a good team they just beat. It was a great night for us.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8AV5Rk5_ZE

The leading scorer was the rookie out of Villanova, Eric Paschall, who had a tremendous night, with 34 buckets, 13 boards, four threes, and 11 of 19 from the field. The strong forward would hit all of his 10 free throw attempts and was ruthless towards the rivals. He delivered 17 points in the first period, missing just one of his 7 shots.

“He came in and didn’t look like a rookie at all, from the first day of practice,” Kerr said.

Both sides were not interested in playing defense in that period, with each team posting 62% from the field. The Warriors did have a minimal lead after that sequence, and Steve Kerr’s guys were ahead up until the midpoint of the next. The Trail Blazers went to the break with a three-point advantage, but that was just a temporary situation.

Hosts would get a seven-point lead on a few occasions in the third and fourth quarter, but Portland managed to even the score at 99-all after Hassan Whiteside’s tip shot with 7:01 left. Paschall and the crew would then create a 12-0 run in less than three minutes, cracking the guests’ resistance and posting a massive win.

They didn’t rely upon three-pointers that much and made 10 of them in 26 attempts. However, their fast and aggressive approach in the offense drew a lot of fouls from the Blazers. We need to mention the fantastic composure of the home team’s players when visiting the free-throw line. In 36 attempts, they would score 33, which is 91.7%. On that volume of shots, it is a fantastic record.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTT9KSQTA1M

Another rookie, only undrafted, Ky Bowman had 19 points, shooting 9 for 14 from the field, and posting 8 assists, Joran Poole and Damion Lee both had 16 points each, while Alec Burks added 13.

For the Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard scored 39 points, 15 of 26, while Whiteside had 22 and 11 boards, 10 for 14 from the floor. CJ McCollum was once again below his standards ending the night with 14 points. Anfernee Simons had the same.

This was the first win for the Warriors at home since the season began, and a huge one, as all the players who appeared showed that they have a certain quality. Up next, they will have a tough challenge in Houston against the Rockets. After that, they have two more road games, in Minnesota and Oklahoma City.

The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, head for LA to face the Clippers this Thursday.