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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- The streak had to end eventually. Jerry
Sloan just didn't expect the Utah Jazz to surrender it the way they
did.
|  | | While Utah struggled in defeat Friday, Golden State's Larry Hughes, right, had 20 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. |
Larry Hughes had 20 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds as the
Golden State Warriors snapped a 17-game losing streak against the
Jazz with a 100-89 victory on Friday night.
The Warriors' string of losses to Utah was the longest between
any two teams in the NBA. Golden State, a perennial Western
Conference doormat, hadn't beaten the Jazz, a perennial power,
since April 14, 1996.
Sloan typically castigates his team after any loss, but the Utah
coach's words carried an unusual bite after the Jazz (20-11) shot
poorly, defended poorly and couldn't make a late comeback against
the conference's second-worst team.
"I just thought the game would have a lot more importance for
us," Sloan said. "We didn't come out like it had a lot of
importance. They worked harder than us, and they had more energy
than us."
Mookie Blaylock and Marc Jackson also had 20 points apiece for
Golden State, which shot 53 percent but wasn't spectacular until a
32-point fourth quarter. The Warriors won for the third time in
five games -- their best stretch of the season.
"We played great defense for the whole 48 minutes," said
Antawn Jamison, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds. "That's what
you have to do in order to survive in this league and to beat a
good team like Utah. Guys really stepped it up and took it upon
themselves to come out and prove something."
The Jazz lost their third straight by playing one of their worst
games of the season, starting with a subpar effort from Karl
Malone.
Utah missed its first seven shots, scored just eight points in
the first quarter on 4-of-22 shooting and trailed 38-29 at
halftime. Utah's first quarter was the worst by any opponent in the
Warriors' history.
Malone managed just 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting. Bryon Russell
scored 19 points for the Jazz, who fell into a tie with Dallas for
the Midwest Division lead.
"If we have to rely on just (John) Stockton and Malone every
night at this stage of their careers, we're going to be in
trouble," Sloan said. "I was hoping somebody else would step up
and show how important this is."
The victory was a surprise to the Warriors' fans, who have
watched Golden State lose its previous six meetings with Utah by an
average of 16.3 points per game. They gave the Warriors a standing
ovation in the final minute.
Jackson also had 14 rebounds as Golden State won just its fourth
game in December.
"We talked about how we wanted to start the game the way we've
been ending a lot of them -- not trying to go on streaks or surges,
but just have good defensive play," Jackson said. "We started the
game that way, and that was a big key for us. We're really proud of
that."
The Warriors got a strong game from Hughes, who has struggled
with his shot and his defense in recent weeks. With Utah's defense
focused on Jamison, Hughes scored 18 of his 20 points after
halftime, including 10 in the fourth quarter.
"I think tonight might have been Larry's finest hour," Golden
State coach Dave Cowens said. "I think he took his time. You could
see that he had that assassin's look. He was not going to let this
(game) get away."
The game also marked the return of former Warriors Donyell
Marshall and John Starks, who were traded away earlier this year
and ended up in Utah.
Marshall, the high-priced forward who never lived up to fans'
expectations, and Starks, who was benched in Utah's loss to
Portland on Thursday night, were both booed by the Oakland Arena
crowd. They scored 13 points apiece, and Marshall had 12 rebounds.
Game notes
Golden State also beat the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix,
Minnesota and Indiana at home this season. ... The Jazz didn't
score until Olden Polynice's short hook with 7:38 left in the first
period. ... Dallas' 16 straight losses to Miami now comprise the
NBA's longest rivalry streak. ... Malone played in his 1,222nd
game, moving him into a tie with Sam Perkins for ninth place on the
NBA's career list.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Utah Clubhouse
Golden State Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 97
Atlanta 85
Miami 98
Washington 91
New York 95
Chicago 68
Portland 104
Vancouver 81
Golden State 100
Utah 89
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Karl Malone Official Site
Bryon Russell Official Site
Antawn Jamison Official Site
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