Utah (48-28) at Golden State (37-40)

[ducks]

Utah (48-28) at Golden State (37-40)
Utah (48-28) at Golden State (37-40)

Preview - Box Score - Recap

Game Info: 10:30 pm EDT Mon Apr 9, 2007
TV: FSUT, FSBA Add to Calendar
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By DAN PIERINGER, STATS Writer

The Utah Jazz could have a nice cushion in their battle for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but ugly fourth-quarter performances in their last two games have kept that race close.

After blowing double-digit leads in back-to-back losses, the Jazz look to bounce back when they visit the Golden State Warriors on Monday.

Utah (48-28) has been outscored 71-37 in its last two fourth quarters, blowing a 17-point lead in its loss to Sacramento on Friday and a 22-point lead in a 106-103 loss to Seattle on Saturday.

"It looked like we hadn't played with each other," coach Jerry Sloan said. "That's what happens when the pressure gets on you a little bit. We've got to learn how to deal with it."

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The Jazz have clinched the Northwest Division title, giving them a top-four seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They will start the playoffs on the road, however, if the Houston Rockets finish with a better record.

Utah helped its cause with a win in Houston on April 1. Since then, the Jazz have lost three straight to give Houston some hope heading into the season's final days.

Deron Williams had 24 points and 13 assists on Saturday -- his 29th double-double of the season -- but the Jazz went 1-for-6 with two turnovers in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. They were outscored 39-16 in the period.

"If you look at the second half, we gave them what they want," said forward Mehmet Okur, who also had two turnovers in the fourth. "They score every time they catch the ball. We cannot play this way in the playoffs."

While the Jazz are fighting for home-court advantage, the Warriors (37-40) are trying to earn their first playoff berth since the 1993-94 season. Golden State's 12-year playoff drought is the longest active streak in the NBA.

The Warriors had won four in a row, but took a step backwards on Saturday, losing to San Antonio 112-99. They are currently in ninth place in the West, one game behind the Los Angeles Clippers with five games left on the Golden State schedule. The Clippers play seven more games before the playoffs.

All five starters scored in double figures on Saturday for Golden State, which struggled against one of the best defenses in the NBA after averaging 118.0 points during its winning streak. The Warriors took a two-point lead early in the second half, before losing for the 19th straight time in San Antonio.

"I'm glad everyone came out and played hard, they gave it all that they could," said Jason Richardson, who scored a team-high 23 points. "We just need to make smarter decisions. It was just a hard-fought ballgame. It was just one of those games where we couldn't turn the corner."

The Warriors should benefit from a return to Oakland, where they are 27-11 this season. Golden State has won seven of its last eight at home, while the Jazz have lost eight of nine on the road.

Utah has a 2-1 edge in the season series heading into Monday's finale. The Jazz, though, lost their only previous game in Oakland this season, 91-78 on Nov. 25.

[Flopper]

Jizz will lose.

[Fillmoe]

GS got this!

[Duncanoypi]

Is Barnes suspended in this game?

[SAtown]

pUtah by double digits :jack

[Fillmoe]

he never got a suspension.... just a fine i believe

[mavsfan1000]

Lets go Jazz.

[boutons_]

GS trying to sneak into 8th seed.

Jazz trying to hold onto 1-L lead over Rockets for 4th seed and first-round HCA.

GS could certainly take it if they play anywhere near how they did vs Mavs.

[ducks]

Utah 48-28 (Road: 19-20)

[ducks]

clippers 39 losses after the loss tonight
40 for gs they pick up a game if they win tonight

[ThomasGranger]

Warriors putting the hurt on the Jazz. What has happened to Utah lately?

The Warriors chances of slipping into the playoffs are looking better now. The Clippers still have to play the Lakers and Phoenix, while the only playoff team on the Warriors' schedule after tonight is Dallas (which could turn out to be a very interesting game).

[mavsfan1000]

A better question is how good are the warriors?

[ThomasGranger]

A better question is how good are the warriors?

They seem to have the sort of momentum that Sacramento had towards the end of last season. A dangerous team that poses matchup problems, but not one that could take the Mavs in a series. In any case, it would be much more fun to watch the Mavs play them than the Clippers.

[efrem1]

Looks as if GS will pass the Clips in the standings for the moment.

[ducks]

lakers 38 losses

[trueD]

Warriors got hot three years ago and spoiled by wins for some teams (Kings winning the division, for one). And didn't they get hot two years ago end of season also?

[ducks]

A better question is how good are the warriors?
good enough to put a scare in the mavs in the first round

[Fillmoe]

lets do this warriors! im pulling for a warriors/mavs first round... i would love to see biedrins swat a few balls right back into nowitzkis face

[trueD]

2003/2004, after a nine game losing streak, Warriors went on to win the next 7 games, 12 of their last 17 regular season games. They quashed the Kings their last game of the season, when they had nothing but pride to play for. Kings gave up the division banner during that game.

2004/2005, Warriors won 14 of their last 18 games of the season.

[SpursDynasty]

The Warriors will indeed put a scare into the Mavs if they meet in the first round. And no, before you all jump on my back, I'm not saying they would win the series for sure. But it's not completely impossible.

[Fillmoe]

the warriors are killing the jazz........... warriors up by 25...... bout to be 26 after a T on fisher

[ducks]

gs next 5 games
Mon, Apr 9 Utah 10:30 pm tonight game
Fri, Apr 13 at Sacramento 10:00 pm
Sun, Apr 15 Minnesota 4:00 pm
Tue, Apr 17 Dallas 10:30 pm
Wed, Apr 18 at Portland 10:00 pm

[efrem1]

Could run the table. I could see them take the Lakers place if the Lake Show continue to tank.

[trueD]

I wonder if Kings will remember that division banner NOT hanging in Arco this Friday.

hmmmmmm......

:lol, doubt if it makes much of a difference. There, I said it.

I want to see the Warriors in the PO's AND be a fly on the wall when Maloof's answer questions about why they didn't ringy dingy up Nelson before hiring Musselman.

[ponky]

the last couple of games have been brutal for the jazz...4-6?!?!?! golden state looks good, i'm looking forward to having them play the mavs, hope nellie sees fit to wear that fuschia colored shirt he wore the other night for the warriors/spurs game

[Admidave50]

The Warriors can make it. I doubt that the Suns won't take the game against the Clips seriously if they want to keep the 2nd seed and the Mavs will be resting their core players for the remaining of the season.

Go Warriors Go!

[LEONARD]

The Warriors will indeed put a scare into the Mavs if they meet in the first round. And no, before you all jump on my back, I'm not saying they would win the series for sure. But it's not completely impossible.

You've said numerous times that GS is the better team...


The Mavs lost to the Warriors simply because when it's a game between those two, the Warriors are the better team.

doesn't the better team always win a 7 game series? :dizzy

[ducks]

Eight is great: Warriors beat Utah, tie Clippers
Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 10, 2007


Should this be the year their postseason drought finally ends, the Warriors will look back on Monday as perhaps the most pivotal day of the season. The Warriors blew out the Utah Jazz at Oracle Arena, but just as important was what happened in Dallas, where the Los Angeles Clippers lost.

No matter how many games the Warriors win down the stretch, they will not make the playoffs without the Clippers, who have dropped two straight, losing at least two more times.

Because the Clippers fell to Dallas just hours before the Warriors put the finishing touches on a 126-102 romp over the Jazz, their playoff hopes gained a huge double-boost.

Though the Warriors (38-40) hold a percentage points lead for the eighth and final playoff spot at the moment, they will most likely have to finish a game ahead of the Clippers (37-39), who currently own the tiebreaker because of their better division record.

So the Warriors' focus remains the same: Win their last four games, and let the basketball gods decide their fate.

"If we win out and we don't make it," swingman Stephen Jackson said, "Ain't nothing we can do."

Golden State has now won 12 of its last 17 while Utah has lost 10 of 15, and Jackson did just about everything to help his team smoke the struggling Jazz. He led all scorers with 28 points and added seven rebounds and five assists.

Al Harrington posted his first double-double in more than a month with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Matt Barnes came off the bench to score 16 points.

To top it off, Monta Ellis (16 points on 7-of-13 shooting) even thumped Deron Williams (4 points on 1-of-8 shooting) in the ongoing race for to be named the league's Most Improved Player.

As for their teams, Monday's game turned in the second quarter, when the Warriors held the Jazz scoreless for eight straight possessions and without a field goal for nearly 10 minutes.

After Matt Harpring hit a fadeaway jumper with 10:02 to go, Utah missed 10 consecutive shots before an Ellis turnover led to Harpring's fastbreak layup with 1:07 left. Golden State used a 30-9 run to overcome a sluggish start.

The Warriors led by as many as 32 points in thrilling a home crowd that didn't have much to cheer for earlier. The first quarter was marked by nonstop whistle-blowing as the teams combined for 15 fouls and 22 free-throw attempts before the pace picked up.

Part of that was spurred by the announcement that the Clippers had lost to Dallas 96-86, which also roused the crowd of 17,463 into action. Their spirited chants went from "De-fense, de-fense" to "Utah Sucks" to "We Want Foyle" to "Playoffs, Playoffs" by the end of the game.

The only chant missing was the one that matters most to the playoff race. And one the Warriors and their fans still need some help on: "Beat L.A."

Briefly: Jackson said his criminal trial, originally scheduled to begin Thursday in Indianapolis, will again be pushed back so he can finish the Warriors' season without interruption. A spokesman for the Marion County prosecution's office confirmed that a motion for continuance was filed, but did not immediately know if it had been granted. Jackson, who faces up to five years in prison for firing gun shots into the air outside a strip club in October, had mixed emotions about the delay. "I got a good feeling that it's going to be alright," he said. "But at the same time, I've been waiting a long time to get it over with." ... League officials said there would be no further action against Barnes for his flagrant-2 foul on San Antonio's James White. ... Harrington received the NBA's Community Assist Award for March and is planning several more charity events in his native New Jersey and the Bay Area next year.

[bigfan]

Im a hardcore Spurs fan but I have to say the Golden State "The City" jersey is the coolest Ive seen in years; maybe that is why they are doing so well now!

[romsho]

You've said numerous times that GS is the better team...



doesn't the better team always win a 7 game series? :dizzy

I don't think you will find even a few people who honestly think Golden State will actually beat Dallas in a seven game series. As a Spurs fan, for me, it isn't about that. If the Clippers get in at the eight spot Dallas rolls them in four games. Golden State is a far tougher matchup, and Dallas can expect to use alot of energy and minutes to get through that series. If you are San Antonio or Phoenix the last thing you want is Dallas rolling to the conference finals without so much as a challenge along the way. I think Golden State getting in helps the Spurs in a big way.

[LEONARD]

I don't think you will find even a few people who honestly think Golden State will actually beat Dallas in a seven game series. As a Spurs fan, for me, it isn't about that. If the Clippers get in at the eight spot Dallas rolls them in four games. Golden State is a far tougher matchup, and Dallas can expect to use alot of energy and minutes to get through that series. If you are San Antonio or Phoenix the last thing you want is Dallas rolling to the conference finals without so much as a challenge along the way. I think Golden State getting in helps the Spurs in a big way.

I was addressing SpursDynasty...who has said over and over that GS is better than Dallas when they're playing each other. He just posted this today...


Dallas is better than GS *overall*. But when it's those teams against each other, GS is the better team. How do I know? Dallas is 1-5 since beginning of '05-'06 season vs GS. Easy math. How do you argue with math? When it's just Dallas vs GS, GS is the better team when its those two vs each other, but not overall.

but he's waffling a bit on his stance in this thread...