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Warriors eye playoff berth vs. hopeful Jazz

Apr 7, 2013 - 2:48 PM (Sports Network) - And the beat goes on.

The race for a Western Conference playoff berth continues for both the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz as both clubs collide Sunday night along the western seaboard.

Golden State can clinch its first playoff berth since 2006-07 and second in 19 years with a win tonight, and will begin a three-game homestand versus Utah, Minnesota and Oklahoma City. The Warriors are sixth in the West -- 1 1/2 games ahead of Houston -- and have won three in a row and nine of 12 games.

The Warriors are coming off Friday's 111-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns and received 25 points from Klay Thompson. David Lee added 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Steph Curry registered 18 points and matched a career-best with 15 assists. Golden State rallied from an 18-point hole early on for its biggest comeback win of the season.

"Our defense wasn't sharp. We were scoring but we were a step slow defensively. At the same time I'm awfully proud of my guys that we responded. There was a time where we'd have to talk about it tomorrow and make the adjustment but we talked about it at halftime and we came out and put together a picture perfect third quarter and it was a big win for us," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said.

Golden State used a 32-14 third quarter to grab the lead and swept the season series against Phoenix for the first time since the 1976-77 campaign.

The Warriors are 26-11 as the host and have won two straight and four of five games in Oakland.

Utah just went 3-1 on a recent homestand and will test its luck on the road, where it is only 11-27 this season.

The Jazz have won six of seven games and are coming off Friday's 95-83 victory over New Orleans. Gordon Hayward scored 23 and Paul Millsap posted 20 points and 10 rebounds for Utah, which is one-half game behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth playoff spot in the West.

The Lakers and Clippers collide Sunday afternoon.

"A game like this really shows where we are as a team, where our focus is," Millsap said.

Derrick Favors ended with 10 points, 10 boards and six blocks in the win.

The 2012-13 season series between Utah and Golden State is tied at a game apiece. The Jazz and Warriors have split the previous eight contests between the teams, but Utah has lost three of four games at the Warriors.