• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Warriors end nine-game slide against Lakers

Dec 15, 2007 - 8:03 AM By Ryan Leong PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Baron Davis scored 22 points and hit a crucial 3-pointer with 16.7 seconds left in the game as the Golden State Warriors posted a 108-106 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.

Monta Ellis added 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Warriors ended a nine-game losing streak to the Lakers.

"It's big considering we hadn't beaten them in awhile," Warriors forward Stephen Jackson said. "It's big because we're kind of neck-and-neck in our division right now, but we needed to get some winning confidence back for our team going on this East Coast road trip of five games in eight days, so we needed that momentum."

After scoring only 17 points in the first quarter, the Warriors scored 30 in the second and a season-high 36 in the third quarter to pull within two, 85-83, entering the fourth quarter.

"We kept our composure," Davis said. "A lot of the time, you get down eight points with three minutes to go, especially against a team like the Lakers, who have a closer like Kobe (Bryant) and you tend to hang your heads.

"There were some frustrating plays out there for us, some missed shots and turnovers from us, but at the same time, we stuck together tonight, and that was huge for us."

Ellis started the final session with a fast-break alley-oop dunk with the assist from Matt Barnes to tie the game, 85-85.

The Lakers responded with a 7-2 run to take a five-point lead following a layup by Jordan Farmar with 9:18 remaining.

Austin Croshere nailed a 3-pointer and Jackson, who scored 22 points and pulled down eight rebounds, made a layup to tie the score, 92-92.

Barnes was called for a flagrant foul against Ronny Turiaf on the Lakers' next possession, but missed both free throws as the score remained tied.

Turiaf was fouled again moments later and made one free throw, giving Los Angeles a narrow lead.

Davis was whistled for a technical foul, the third of the game against the Warriors, and Bryant made the foul shot to put the the Lakers up by two.

Los Angeles pushed its lead to eight points with 3:29 left to play after Derek Fisher and Luke Walton both made a pair of free throws sandwiched around Lamar Odom's driving layup.

However, the Warriors, determined to snap a nine-game losing streak to the Lakers, went on an 8-1 run as Jackson drove the lane and scored on a reverse layup to tie the score, 103-103.

"I guess we stopped the Laker jinx, finally, at nine in a row and that's a good thing," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "It didn't look very good for a long time, but we just kind of hung in there and, eventually, things kind of worked out in our favor. It was just a hard fought game but a good game for the NBA tonight and the right team won."

Fisher, who ranks third in the NBA making 94 percent of his free throws this season, missed the first of a pair of foul shots after being fouled by Al Harrington while scrambling for a loose ball, as the Lakers took a 104-103 lead.

Golden State responded as Andris Biedrins scored on a follow shot off Ellis' missed jumper to give the Warriors a 105-104 lead.

After Odom missed a jumper on the other end, Davis appeared to cement the victory with a step-back fallaway 3-pointer to put the Warriors up by four.

"As long as I can get a good bounce and I can get a good lift on my shot, I like that shot any day," Davis said.

However, the Lakers wouldn't go quietly, as Odom drove the lane on the next possesion and was fouled by Harrington.

Odom missed the foul shot but grabbed his own rebound, but Ellis was right behind him though and stripped the ball, carrying it down the court as time expired.

"I'm sure he did (get fouled), there's a lot of fouls out there they didn't call tonight," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "He got fouled, I thought, on the play previous to that but that team plays defense.

"If you stick the ball out there they go for it. They're hackers and they get after it."

Bryant, who finished with 21 points, strained his left quadriceps after landing awkwardly on a jump shot late in the game and was even taken out of the game with 1:30 left.

"I couldn't even run, but it's part of the game, I guess," Bryant said. "I was making a baseline slice cutting to the post. I'm not sure if it happened on the cut or it happened on the spin but it felt like a little tweak. I tried to stretch it out a little bit and as soon. As I had to run the other way, it felt like I was shot in the leg."

Andrew Bynum, who scored 17 points and tied a career high with 16 rebounds, was frustrated with the outcome.

"Baron Davis stepped up big and made his shot," Bynum said. "We had about three or four bad possessions at the end of the game with 1:30 left and we kind of gave the game away."