Green, Thompson sit out with knee issues

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Golden State Warriors were without forward Draymond Green and guard Klay Thompson in Thursday night’s regular-season road finale against the Trail Blazers at Moda Center.

Questionable on Wednesday with a right knee contusion, Green was ruled out Thursday afternoon — as was Thompson, who emerged questionable Thursday morning with right knee tendinitis.

Backup guard Gary Payton II also was a late scratch with tightness in his left calf.

Thompson, in a team-high 75 games, is Golden State’s secondleading scorer, averaging 17.7 points per game and shooting 38.6% from 3-point range. In his past eight games, all as a starter, he has averaged 21.8 points and shot 41.3% from deep.

Green has played 54 games, anchoring the Warriors with his two-way play. He has averaged 8.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists, playing power forward and center depending on the lineup.

Chris Paul was tabbed the starter for Thompson and Jonathan Kuminga the starter for Green.

The Warriors began Thursday 10th in the Western Conference, having beaten the ninthplace Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday in the last of four regular-season matchups. With the win, Golden State secured the tiebreaker and favorable seeding should the teams finish the season with identical records.

Winning out guarantees for the Warriors no worse than ninth place and a play-in game at home. They conclude their season Sunday against the Utah Jazz (30-50). The play-in round begins Tuesday: The No. 7 seed hosts the No. 8, with the winner clinching the seventh seed; on Friday, Tuesday’s loser hosts the winner of a Wednesday matchup in which No. 9 hosts No. 10.

“We just really want to win all three (remaining games) and give ourselves the best chance and move up as high as we can. That’s the only focus,” Kerr said. The West “is a loaded conference. And everybody’s good, and it’s just tough to make up any ground.”