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Boozer, Jazz eke out win over upstart Warriors

May 8, 2007 - 5:51 AM SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- Carlos Boozer was an offensive star in the Utah Jazz's dramatic first-round victory. He made his impact on the glass against the Golden State Warriors.

Boozer collected 17 points and 20 rebounds and rookie Deron Williams added 31 and eight assists as the Jazz pulled out an exciting 116-112 victory over the Warriors in Game One of their Western Conference semifinal series on Monday.

Mehmet Okur had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Utah, which outscored Golden State, 32-23, in a frantic fourth quarter to secure the victory.

In a back-and-forth contest, the squads traded baskets throughout the final period, forcing the other to blink first. But the Jazz eventually used their size advantage, outrebounding the Warriors, 54-36, to take a 1-0 lead.

Boozer bulled his way through traffic on the game's deciding sequence. After Okur missed a 3-pointer from the left corner, the All-Star forward snatched the offensive rebound and dropped in a soft shot in the lane to make it 114-112 with 17 seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, Golden State's Stephen Jackson missed a contested shot from the arc with eight seconds left. Matt Harping got the rebound, was fouled and made two free throws to make it 116-112 and ice the game.

Boozer scored 35 points in Utah's dramatic Game Seven win vs. Houston on Saturday, but had to find other ways to contribute on Monday. Shooting just 6-of-15 from the field, he made a huge impact on the glass - falling two shy of Karl Malone's franchise playoff-record 22 rebounds. However, Williams nearly threw the game away.

After missing a short shot in the lane, the star point guard ran down the offensive rebound in the left corner but saved the ball right to a streaking Jason Richardson, igniting the Warriors' fast break. Richardson was fouled by Andrei Kirilenko and made two free throws to tie the game, 112-112, leading to Boozer's clutch play.

The Jazz are in the second round for the first time since 2000. Only guard Derek Fisher, who was traded from the Warriors to Utah last summer, and Okur have been this far in the postseason before.

But Utah had less than two days to prepare heading into the series opener after eliminating the Rockets on Saturday night. The Warriors, on the other hand, were well rested and ready to run once again after finishing off the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.

Golden State is the first No. 8 team to beat a top seed in the first round in a best-of-seven format after its shocking win over the Mavericks in six games. Although the Warriors still are the lower seed against the Jazz, few are looking at them as underdogs.

And Golden State fought to the end on Monday. The Warriors continued to push the pace against the plodding Jazz but shot just 46 percent (41-of-90) from the field, including 12-of-31 on 3-pointers.

Looking spry despite a hamstring injury suffered in Game Six against Dallas, Baron Davis scored 24 points on 8-of-17 shooting and Al Harrington added 21 for Golden State, which was playing in the second round for the first time in 16 seasons.