Post by Lebron23 on Apr 30, 2007 0:25:29 GMT -5
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Baron Davis bedeviled the Mavericks one more time -- and now his crazy, carefree Golden State Warriors are one win away from a historic playoff upset.
Davis had five of his 33 points and two key assists in the final 3 1/2 minutes, and the Warriors roared from behind for a 103-99 victory Sunday night to take a 3-1 lead over the NBA's best team in their first-round playoff series.
Jason Richardson scored 22 points for the Warriors, who could become just the third team in league history to knock off a No. 1 seed in the opening round.
Only the Denver Nuggets (1994) and the New York Knicks (1999) have won a playoff series as a No. 8 seed -- and both did it in the old best-of-five format.
The Warriors are an even more unlikely candidate as a 42-40 club that didn't make the playoffs until the final day of the regular season -- but Golden State has a hold on Dallas, winning eight of the clubs' last nine meetings.
Game 5 is Tuesday night in Dallas, where the Mavericks went 36-5 in the regular season, but blew the series opener.
Jerry Stackhouse scored 24 points and kept Dallas ahead for most of the second half, but the Mavs' offense tightened up as soon as the Warriors' incredible point guard took charge.
Davis -- who banked in a 3-pointer from midcourt at halftime -- hit Stephen Jackson for an open 3-pointer, then made a driving layup in traffic to put Golden State ahead 91-90 with 2:35 left.
After Stackhouse airballed a 3-pointer and Andris Biedrins dunked on another pass from Davis, the Mavericks fell apart with a turnover and a traveling violation before Davis coolly drilled a 20-footer with 57 seconds left. Matt Barnes hit a 3-pointer from the sideline, but Dirk Nowitzki hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final 14 seconds to keep it close.
Davis missed a free throw with 3.2 seconds left to give Dallas one last shot -- but Devin Harris threw the inbounds pass straight to Golden State's Mickael Pietrus, sparking the crowd to deafening cheers.
Davis had five of his 33 points and two key assists in the final 3 1/2 minutes, and the Warriors roared from behind for a 103-99 victory Sunday night to take a 3-1 lead over the NBA's best team in their first-round playoff series.
Jason Richardson scored 22 points for the Warriors, who could become just the third team in league history to knock off a No. 1 seed in the opening round.
Only the Denver Nuggets (1994) and the New York Knicks (1999) have won a playoff series as a No. 8 seed -- and both did it in the old best-of-five format.
The Warriors are an even more unlikely candidate as a 42-40 club that didn't make the playoffs until the final day of the regular season -- but Golden State has a hold on Dallas, winning eight of the clubs' last nine meetings.
Game 5 is Tuesday night in Dallas, where the Mavericks went 36-5 in the regular season, but blew the series opener.
Jerry Stackhouse scored 24 points and kept Dallas ahead for most of the second half, but the Mavs' offense tightened up as soon as the Warriors' incredible point guard took charge.
Davis -- who banked in a 3-pointer from midcourt at halftime -- hit Stephen Jackson for an open 3-pointer, then made a driving layup in traffic to put Golden State ahead 91-90 with 2:35 left.
After Stackhouse airballed a 3-pointer and Andris Biedrins dunked on another pass from Davis, the Mavericks fell apart with a turnover and a traveling violation before Davis coolly drilled a 20-footer with 57 seconds left. Matt Barnes hit a 3-pointer from the sideline, but Dirk Nowitzki hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final 14 seconds to keep it close.
Davis missed a free throw with 3.2 seconds left to give Dallas one last shot -- but Devin Harris threw the inbounds pass straight to Golden State's Mickael Pietrus, sparking the crowd to deafening cheers.