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Davis, Warriors look to get back on track at home vs. Jazz

May 11, 2007 - 1:29 PM Utah at Golden State 9:00 pm EDT Western Conference Semifinal Game Three

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- What other unusual challenges will Baron Davis and the Golden State Warriors face when they head home to the Bay Area?

Davis and the Warriors hope to turn the momentum in the Western Conference semifinals when they host the Utah Jazz in Game Three on Friday.

Golden State held the lead in Game One and Game Two with under 90 seconds left in regulation in each contest, only to lose at the end. On Wednesday, the Warriors led 112-107 with 52 seconds left and 113-111 with just six ticks left on the clock before watching the Jazz tie the game and send it into overtime.

Utah then outscored Golden State, 14-4 in the extra session, including a clutch 3-pointer by Derek Fisher to send the series to Oakland with the Jazz up two games to none.

The Warriors took a 110-109 lead on a layup by Matt Barnes with 84 seconds left in the series opener before letting that advantage slip away 10 seconds later on a layup and subsequent free throw by Deron Williams.

Davis has averaged 30.0 points in the first two games. His freewheeling teammates have played almost as well, including Jason Richardson (24.0 points), Al Jefferson (19.0), Stephen Jackson (17.0) and Barnes (16.0).

Golden State has taken 71 3-pointers in the first two games, hitting on 38 percent to stay with the bigger and stronger Jazz, who hold a 114-68 advantage in rebounding, including a 39-27 superiority on the offensive glass.

The Warriors have had no answer for All-Star Carlos Boozer, who has dominated the post, tallying 23.5 points and 16.5 rebounds. Center Mehmet Okur, who had a sub-par first round vs. the Houston Rockets, went back to his 2007 All-Star form, averaging 22.0 points and 14.5 boards.

A similar renaissance has touched Andrei Kirilenko, who was nearly invisible against the Rockets, only to be all over the court for the Jazz. The 6-9 Russian has been a jack-of-all-trades, averaging 16.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.5 blocks.

He even played some point forward in Game Two after Deron Williams picked up two early fouls and reserve guard Dee Brown had to leave the game after Okur fell on the rookie.

Williams, who had 31 points and eight assists in Game One, returned with a vengeance in the second half and overtime, scoring 16 points and handing out nine assists.

His biggest assist went to Fisher when the Jazz led 120-117 with just over a minute left in the OT. The second-year guard out of Illinois drove the lane and kicked it to the left corner where the 11-year veteran drained a shot from the arc with 1:06 left to put Utah up by six.

Fisher had entered the game and the series with 3:17 left in the third quarter after flying in from New York. He had left the team because his daughter had an operation for cancer in her eye.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan left Fisher on the playoff roster even though he left the team before Game One to be with his family.

Utah is 6-0 all-time when it has won the first two games of a seven-game series.