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Richardson, Jackson lead Warriors onslaught against Suns

Mar 30, 2007 - 7:01 AM OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Jason Richardson and Stephen Jackson only needed three quarters to put away the Phoenix Suns.

In wild shootout, Richardson scored a season-high 36 points and Jackson added 29 as the Golden State Warriors held off a furious fourth-quarter comeback by the Suns to hold on for a 124-119 victory.

Baron Davis collected 21 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds for the Warriors, who notched season highs in points after the first quarter (45) and at halftime (77) to secure the victory.

"Very important, we're battling for that eighth spot and we haven't been playing good basketball the last three games, so it was important for us to get this one," Jackson said. "It got ugly at the end, but we have two days before our next game so we have some corrections to make."

Golden State (34-39) now is one game behind the Los Angeles Clippers (34-37) in the battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

Richardson was on fire in the opening period, nailing 5-of-6 3-pointers en route to 19 points. The high-flying guard was 14-of-23 from the field, including a career-high 8-of-13 from the arc overall.

"It was huge for me to come out tonight," Richardson said. "(Against San Antonio on Monday) was one of the worst games I've had in my career. I owe my coaches more than what I did the last game and I really wanted to do something, but I wasn't really expecting to shoot the ball like that tonight."

Jackson also was lethal from the outside, shooting 11-of-18 from the floor - including 5-of-10 on 3-pointers. The duo combined for 61 points through three quarters but netted only four in the final period as Phoenix made its comeback.

Trailing, 109-86, entering the fourth quarter, the Suns sat their superstar trio of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion for nearly the entire period. Phoenix's bench outscored Golden State, 33-15, in the final 12 minutes but fell short.

"We just got down and the second group came in," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They battled and they almost got us back in there and a couple more breaks we would have had a shot to win it. They played a very good game.

"I don't think (he should have put starters back in) because (the bench) was playing really well. I would have shot myself to go back to the other group and these guys bring you back. They deserved to have a chance to win it."

Golden State coach Don Nelson said that his team's poor fourth quarter is irrelevant.

"It doesn't matter that we almost blew a lead," Nelson said. "The only thing that is important is that we got a win against a good team that we needed."

Leandro Barbosa scored 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for the Suns, who now are just two games ahead of red-hot San Antonio for second place in the Western Conference.