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OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Golden State Warriors finally have a winning streak. Antawn Jamison collected 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Warriors won consecutive games for the first time in over nine months with a 96-86 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers. Golden State posted back-to-back victories for the first time since January 19-21, a span of 45 games. The Warriors also halted a nine-game losing streak to Portland, including four losses last season by an average of 24.5 points. "We beat a good team tonight," Warriors coach Dave Cowens said. "A back-to-back is pretty good. I'm really happy for our guys." Danny Fortson also had a strong game with 17 points and 21 rebounds while Larry Hughes added 14 points. Golden State led by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter. Fortson posted the fifth 20-rebound game of his career and the first since grabbing 21 on November 12, 2000 against Orlando. The game's signature play was provided by rookie Troy Murphy, who had an emphatic slam dunk over Dale Davis that gave Golden State a 45-38 lead with 3:38 left in the first half. Murphy stared at Davis after the jam and was whistled for his second technical. "Troy made a heck of a play," Cowens said. "Troy showed some athleticism tonight. He made some believers out of people with that move. I don't know if that's right, when a guy gets thrown out of a game for looking at someone. The technical changed the tempo and the mind-set of the game." Several of the Blazers took exception to Murphy. "He's really nothing," guard Bonzi Wells said. "It doesn't matter what kind of motivation they got. He got a little dunk but he's still a rookie." After Damon Stoudamire converted the technical, Golden State used an 8-1 run to extend to a 53-40 advantage with 1:28 left before halftime. Rookie Jason Richardson sparked the run with a basket and an assist on a basket by Adonal Foyle. "I was happy for Troy," Jamison said. "He's been getting bullied by a lot of guys. He's a rookie and he has a lot of guys who will try to take advantage of him. He let those guys know that he won't let that go on throughout the season." A dunk by Rasheed Wallace pulled Portland within 68-62 with 4:49 left in the third quarter. Golden State scored the final 11 points of the period, including five by Hughes, for a 79-62 edge entering the final 12 minutes. "It's a good win, but we can't get too high or too low," Jamison said. "Early on in the season, playing against a playoff team like that, it's always a good win." Wells led Portland with 26 points and Wallace added 16 on just 6-of-15 shooting. The Trail Blazers shot 42 percent (33-of-78) and were outrebounded, 65-37. The 65 rebounds for Golden State was the most since it grabbed 65 against Denver on April 24, 1999. The Warriors had a 32-5 edge in second-chance points. "I don't use back-to-back games as an excuse because we travel too well for back-to-back games to be a factor," Portland first-year coach Maurice Cheeks said. "They played a back-to-back game and they had an overtime game." Stoudamire was the only other Blazer in double figures with 12 points and nine assists while Scottie Pippen made 1-of-7 shots for four points.
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