November 21st, 2009 
Stephen Rhodes 
Posted in 
Nothing like losing a ball player with mental baggage in order to get your team straight as the Golden State Warriors on Friday hosted the Portland Trail Blazers in their first home game since trading malcontent Stephen Jackson. Whether trading Jackson was the cure-all for the team will be water cooler conversation for the short-term, the early results look good so far as Monta Ellis and Anthony Morrow combined for 57 points, allowing Golden State to thrash Portland 108-94 at Oracle Arena.
The Blazers, who led 37-29 after the first quarter, struggled offensively without Greg Oden in their lineup; as a result, the Warriors took full advantage. Morrow and Anthony Randolph combined for 12 points as Golden State ended the half with a 17-4 run to take a 56-52 halftime lead. Chris Hunter, recently signed from the NBA Developmental League, started the second half and scored four quick points, allowing the Warriors to extend their lead to 64-55; a Randolph basket with 30 seconds left in the third quarter put Golden State up 83-75. Golden State would ice the game on an Ellis three-point play, giving the Warriors a 96-83 lead with 6:50 left in the game.
Ellis led all Warriors scorers with a season-high 34 points with 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 6 steals and 2 blocks while Morrow added 23 (including 4 three-pointers) with 6 rebounds, an assist and 2 steals; Randolph chipped in 15 with 11 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Portland was led by Rudy Fernandez with 19 points (including three treys), 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals while Brandon Roy added 17 with 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal; Oden chipped in 16 with 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a blocked shot.
Golden State (4-8) plays again on Tuesday when they take on the Dallas Mavericks while Portland (9-5) returns home to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
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