Warriors top Trail Blazers to grab final playoff spot in West

Golden State (42-40) is two games ahead of the Clippers for the eighth and final playoff berth in the West. Since the Lakers beat Sacramento, 117-106, Golden State is the eighth seed and the Lakers No. 7. The Warriors will face the top- seeded Dallas Mavericks, who lost all three contests to Golden State this season.

Stephen Jackson scored 31 points and Jason Richardson posted 25 points and eight rebounds for the Warriors, who have won five straight and nine of their last 10 games overall. Al Harrington netted 24 points, and Monta Ellis added 12 points.

Travis Outlaw scored a career-high 36 points for Portland (32-50), which lost six of its last seven games overall. Martell Webster scored 14 points, and Jamaal Magloire had 13 points and 11 boards for the Trail Blazers, who failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight year

Golden State exploded out of the gate on a 17-4 run finished by a Richardson alley-oop dunk with 8:41 left, but Portland rattled off nine straight to cut its deficit to 17-13 approaching the midway point. The Warriors later went on a 19-6 burst down the stretch sparked by a pair of Jackson buckets, and led 41-26 heading into the second.

The Warriors went on a 9-2 spurt finished by a Matt Barnes layup midway through the second for a 54-36 advantage, and held a 64-46 halftime margin.

Golden State went on a 10-2 burst out of the locker room and Jackson’s free throw with 9:20 on the clock widened its lead to 74-48. Portland stayed within striking distance, rallying for a 16-5 run down the stretch as Outlaw’s three- point play in the final seconds trimmed its deficit to 92-77 heading into the fourth.

Golden State blew the game open on a 12-0 run capped by Jackson’s trey with 5:07 to go in the fourth for a 108-84 lead, and cruised toward the postseason thereafter.

Game Notes

Golden State took a 2-1 series edge over the Trail Blazers this season...The Warriors have taken four of the last seven meetings at Portland.