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Azubuike caps wild game as Warriors down Sixers

Nov 25, 2007 - 5:43 AM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Kelenna Azubuike made the Golden State Warriors' road trip the most successful one in quite some time.

Azubuike hit a go-ahead 3-pointer from the corner with six seconds remaining in the extra period and Baron Davis scored 14 of his 22 points after halftime to power the Warriors to a 100-98 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

With the win, Golden State went 4-1 - losing only to the Boston Celtics - during a five-game road trip through the Eastern Conference.

It was the most successful road trip for the Warriors since going 5-0 from October 29-November 4, 1978. The winning stretch represents a drastic departure from the Warriors' 0-6 start to the season.

"We had the bad start, but we've come back and have given the team some life," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "We're still not hitting on all cylinders. We need to have a couple more guys to step (up) and keep things going."

"We needed to come out tonight playing hard and leave with a win," Warriors forward Stephen Jackson said. "Starting 1-6, we put ourselves in a big hole. We are starting to dig out of this hole, especially with this road trip."

Following a jumper from Jackson to give Golden State a 95-94 lead, Andre Miller answered with a jumper with 41 seconds left in overtime to give the Sixers a 96-95 advantage.

After a Warriors' timeout, Davis drove through the right side of the lane and hit an incredible hanging reverse layup to help Golden State retake the lead with 13 seconds left.

"I was just going to the hole all night and looking for contact," Davis said. "I was trying to lay the ball up and it went in. Those were just big shots and it was fun. It was a fun game to be apart of."

Andre Iguodala hit a jumper of his own after Sixers' timeout to put Philadelphia up 98-97.

Following yet another Warriors' timeout after which Azubuike did not know he was actually one of the five players that was supposed to be on the court, he nailed a 3-pointer from the left corner.

"I was struggling the whole game," Azubuike said. "I just wanted to try and knock it down and thank goodness it went in."

"I was going to be ready if it did come to me," Azubuike said. "The play was set up to where, if Baron gets it, he (tries) to create something. If he draws two people and he can't shoot it, you just try to get open and knock it down."

"The play was for me," Davis said. "I had the isolation and I seen (Azubuike) open. I'll always try to make the right play and not force the shot. I wanted to get into the paint and draw somebody, and that's what it was."

Davis then stole the ball from Louis Williams with about a second remaining to thwart the Sixers' final opportunity to win the game.

"I thought I got fouled but I'm not the guy blowing the whistle." Williams said. "We had plenty of chances to win the game (but) a couple of things just didn't go our way."

Monta Ellis tied a career high with 31 points and Azubuike scored 10 and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Warriors.

Trailing, 57-45, at the start of the second half, the Warriors began the third quarter with a 15-2 run as Davis and Ellis combined for 13 points to take a 60-59 lead three minutes into the period.

The teams fought back and forth throughout the remainder of the quarter, with the Sixers taking a 76-75 advantage into the final 12 minutes courtesy of Miller and Iguodala, who combined to score 15 straight points during an eight-minute stretch.

Neither team could open up more than a four-point lead throughout the fourth quarter. Philadelphia would hold Golden State scoreless over the final minutes while Rodney Carney scored on a dunk and Iguodala hit a pair of free throws to tie the contest at 90-90.

Iguodala, who finished 26 points and 11 boards, missed an opportunity from about 15 feet away with one second remaining to end the game in regulation.

"We have to play hard and compete every night," Iguodala said. "That's all we can do. We've been putting some good games together. We have to put it together at the end of the game and get a win."