BOX SCORE

The Warriors are taking the NBA by storm.

Well, at least the teams toiling in Portland and Utah.

Golden State came to a second straight stoppage on Friday night with a 127-86 shutout of the Jazz at Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City.

The Warriors have outscored their opponents 267-190 in their two season-opening victories. Their 77-point margin is the largest in NBA history through any team’s first two games.

Buddy Hield led the team in scoring for the second consecutive game, finishing with 27 points. Stephen Curry scored 20 points, Brandin Podziemski 15 and Trayce Jackson-Davis added 12. Andrew Wiggins scored just eight points, but grabbed a game- and career-high 13 rebounds.

Here are three lessons from a game that was never in doubt after the first quarter:

Buddy bombs

Hield was a Warrior for eight games, six of which came in the preseason. He shoots an incredible 31 of 55 (53.4 percent) from beyond the arc. Incredible. And there’s no sign of him cooling down.

Hield came off the bench for the second straight time and immediately lit the Jazz on fire, scoring 24 points in 14 first-half minutes on 9-for-11 shooting, including 6-for-7 from deep.

Hield’s 27 points came on 10-14 shooting from the field, including 7-for-9 from distance. Through two games, he has 49 points in 35 minutes and is shooting 18 of 26 overall and 12 of 16 from beyond the arc.

Unsustainable, right?

After the opening night win in Portland, Hield said he hasn’t felt this free within an offense since leaving the University of Oklahoma eight years ago. As a senior, he shot 45.7 percent from deep.

That kind of accuracy is unlikely in today’s NBA, but anything even close to that will have Golden State’s front office dancing in the streets.

Bank starts fire again

For the second straight game, Golden State’s starting lineup fell behind early, trailing by eight within the first three minutes. It took a few more minutes before I found anything remotely resembling rhythm.

It also took a push from the players on the bench, who came in well, played fast, made shots and even made some kicks in defense.

Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney and Podziemski and Hield were the key players closing the first quarter with a 21-5 run in the final five minutes. That was enough to change the temperature in the building.

Two nights after the Warriors’ squad outscored the Trail Blazers’ 71-37 in Portland, they gained an 80-49 lead over the Jazz reserves. Joining Hield and Podziemski who reached double-digit scoring off the bench was Moses Moody with 12.

Coach Steve Kerr’s concept of playing his entire active roster was once again a resounding success. Just as 14 players participated on the opening night, 14 players were used this evening.

A drawer of perfection

Trayce Jackson-Davis, who started 16 games as a rookie last season, has started the first two this season and is doing extremely well for the Warriors.

But even better for Jackson-Davis.

After scoring 14 points and shooting 5-for-5 from the field in the opener, he came back tonight with 12 points on 6-for-6 shooting. His eleven consecutive shots – mostly from the lobs and within a meter of the rim – provide a much-needed scoring presence inside.

Although Golden State’s starting lineup hit snooze early in each of the first two games and continues to experience spacing issues, Jackson-Davis does exactly what he’s asked to do.

Protect the rim, install sturdy screens and be efficient in the paint. Perfection is the epitome of efficiency.

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