SAN FRANCISCO – Steph Curry feinted right, he juked left, he spun one way, and then pivoted another. No matter what move — or series of moves — he made, Portland had no answer for the all-time great superstar on Friday night at Chase Center.

In the end, though, Curry’s magnificent night was not enough to stop the Warriors from dropping their third game in a row and second game this year to the Blazers, this time 127-123. The Warriors dropped back to .500 with a 9-9 record. It was Golden State’s first home loss of the season.

Curry poured in 23 points in the first half en route to 38 points, making 9 of 17 3-pointers and torching a Blazers defense that tried to guard the cat-quick 6-foot-3 ballhandler with a series of taller forwards.

The game came down to the wire. Jimmy Butler made two free throws late to cut the Blazers lead to 122-120 with around 40 seconds remaining. Then Caleb Love banged in a three, which was answered by a Curry triple. Deni Avdija hit two free throws to extend the advantage to four for Portland.

Curry missed two 3-pointers as Golden State’s comeback fell short.

The Warriors played their first game since returning from a grueling six-game road trip that saw them go 3-3. Facing them was a Blazers team missing most of its guards.

Coaching Portland was Tiago Splitter, the acting head coach as Chauncey Billups is currently embroiled in a gambling scandal and on leave.  It was the Warriors’ third Emirates In-Season Tournament game, with Golden State having lost the first game in Denver 129-104 and beaten San Antonio 109-108.

Brandin Podziemski scored 20, and Moses Moody popped in 10. Draymond Green scored 11 and dished out eight assists, while Butler poured in 20. Avdija played point guard for Portland and scored 26 and contributed 14 assists.

The Blazers led 35-28 after one quarter, with Donovan Clingan and Portland’s bigs controlling the interior. Then Curry dropped 18 in the second quarter to help Golden State take a 72-65 lead into halftime. The Blazer stayed in it throughout, taking a lead early in the fourth quarter and keeping the Warriors at bay for the rest of the night.

The Warriors will enjoy two nights off before playing host to Utah on Monday as they continue a five-game homestand.

Perimeter defense an issue

The Warriors, with the notable exception of Moody, Gary Payton II and perhaps rookie Will Richard, lack consistent perimeter defenders. It was a flaw that Avdija and the Blazers exposed time and time again, especially in the second half. Whether it be Sidy Cissoko, Love or even Toumani Camara, the Golden State defense seemed incapable of getting a stop.

This showed up on the statsheet as the Blazers poured in 46 points in the paint. Even when the Warriors cut off the initial drive, that just left Clingan, Robert Williams or any of Portland’s other tall, rangy and athletic centers open under the rim.

The Blazers dominated Golden State on the offensive glass too, grabbing 21 offensive boards and putting in 28 second-chance points.

Podziemski pops

Steve Kerr loves to call Podziemski a “connector,” a guy who will play off the stars and make an impact in the quiet parts of the game not measured by statistics. A solid screen. The extra pass. A rotation that makes a shot a little more difficult.

The loudest aspect of basketball, putting the ball in the hoop, is not usually his forte. See the 23-year-old’s struggles in Miami, when he scored 20 but shot just 6 of 19 in a more featured offensive role.

But against Portland, he flashed the kind of shot-making that the Warriors desperately need outside of Curry and Butler. He snaked into the lane for foul shots and layups, and even made a few jumpers while making 5 of 9 shots and getting to the free throw line 10 times.

All while still doing the little things the coaching staff loves.

And maybe Podziemski is a better scorer than given credit for. He has now scored in double figures in four of his last five games.

DeMarco on the bench

Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco sat between Steph Curry and fellow assistant Jerry Stackhouse on the Warriors bench.

On almost any other day, that would not be notable in the slightest. However, on Friday morning, the 14-year stalwart was reported to have agreed to become the New York Liberty’s coach in the WNBA.

It is yet to be determined when he will depart the Bay Area, and Kerr declined to comment on the matter, as the Liberty have not made it official yet.

Blazers backcourt decimated

The visitors rolled out a starting lineup with four forwards and 7-foot-3 Clingan. That was not a tactical decision made just because Splitter wished to be avant garde.

Aside from long-term injuries to Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Blake Wesley and Jrue Holiday were all ruled out with various leg injuries.

1975 Warriors honored

The Warriors’ first championship team was honored between the first and second quarters. The seven living members remaining from that squad, which included a still-gregarious Rick Barry, gathered at midcourt.

Charles Dudley, a reserve guard on that 10-deep team, is leading the effort to create a documentary about the “forgotten” champions. For more on this team and endeavor, read about it here.