The Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to nine games after securing an impressive 125-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.The Blazers kicked off the winning run with a home win over the Dubs last month and enjoyed another success over them at the Moda Center to underline their credentials.The Oregon-based outfit is third in the Western Conference, one place below the Warriors, and could potentially meet the defending champions in the second round of the playoffs.Having been eliminated from the postseason by the men from the Bay Area in the last two seasons, Portland is proving that they can finally be a match for them and have sent out a strong statement in their two straight victories over them.The Trail Blazers were swept by the Warriors last year and lost 4-1 in the previous campaign, but they now believe they're in a much better position to compete and they want people to stand up and take notice."We're the real deal," Damian Lillard told ESPN's Chris Haynes after the game.

The dynamic point guard once again took over the game in the fourth quarter and led an outburst in the final period which saw them outscore their opponents 38-25.

Lillard didn't have one of his best shooting nights as he hit 8-of-21 but he still finished with 28 points.

His backcourt partner C.J. McCollum stepped up huge and ended with a team-high 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting.

Portland led for much of the game but the Warriors used their customary third quarter run to take a six-point lead.

But unlike many other teams, the Blazers didn't wilt under pressure and regained the advantage to take into the fourth quarter where they closed out the game in style.

"We know they take over games and dominate third quarters and they came out and made a run for it and I really liked how we weathered that storm," Lillard said. "They did what they always do, but we kept fighting."

The triumph for the home team extended their winning run but snapped Golden State's own seven-game stretch.

The Trail Blazers are now one-and-a-half games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans and are the favourites to secure the number three seed, which guarantees home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

They will now take on the Miami Heat on Monday as they look to take their run of victories into double figures.