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Jackson, Ellis lead Warriors past Blazers

Mar 3, 2008 - 5:57 AM By Ryan Leong PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - In the competitive Western Conference, every win counts, and the Golden State Warriors passed another tough challenge.

Stephen Jackson scored 29 points and Monta Ellis added 22 as the Warriors held on for a 110-104 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.

Portland took its first lead since early in the first quarter when Steve Blake drilled a fadeaway jumper with 11:21 remaining. Consecutive baskets by Al Harrington helped the Warriors make it 87-84 with 10:03 left.

Baron Davis has had some trouble shooting the ball in the last two games, but he came up with a clutch 3-pointer and added a finger-roll layup as Golden State build a 98-93 edge at the 6:16 mark.

Jarrett Jack and Brandon Roy scored on back-to-back possessions to slice Portland's deficit to 105-102 with 2:51 left. However, Jackson hit a 3-pointer from the right corner to restore order.

"I liked the way we played the whole game," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "I thought the key to the game was that we kept the turnovers down to eight and I thought the two teams were very, very even. Quite a game, we had to really play and we did."

The Trail Blazers had won the last two home games in the season series in blowout fashion.

"Portland had our number the last two times we played them," Jackson said. "We're really starting to realize that we're playing for something if we want to get into these playoffs and the only thing we know we can control is winning.

"We can't worry about what's going on in the standings. I think we came out focused, we were more aggressive than them and we were able to get this win."

Roy scored 17 of his 26 points in the second half and Travis Outlaw chipped in 17 off the bench for Portland, which has lost five straight here since 2004.

"We're trying to get across to the guys, you've got to grit your teeth in these types of games," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "Playing with that intensity, that emotion, at home is good but you've got to come with even more here on the road. On the road is tough, and you've got to take games and tonight we just made too many mistakes."

The Trail Blazers (31-29) fell six games behind the Warriors (36-22) for the eighth and final postseason spot in the loaded West.

"We needed this game because they're the eighth seed and, if that's what we're shooting for, we've got to do a better job of coming out to win this game," Roy said. But they did a good job of defending their eighth spot and, for us, every game is a playoff game because we're so far behind."