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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- No one expected Mookie
Blaylock to make the winning shot against the Vancouver Grizzlies.
Not his coach, not his teammates, not even Blaylock himself.
Blaylock scored on a wide-open layup with 4.5 seconds remaining
Saturday night to give the Golden State Warriors a 102-101 victory,
their second win in as many nights after beating Utah 100-89 in
Oakland on Friday.
"It was just a good read," Warriors coach Dave Cowens said.
"You take what the defense gives you and he made a great play."
Antawn Jamison, who led the Warriors with 35 points and a
season-high 18 rebounds, got the inbounds pass from Blaylock before
giving it back to the cutting Blaylock.
"The play was designed to go to Larry (Hughes)," Jamison said.
"After they denied him getting the ball, I just came to the ball.
And when two people converged on me, Mookie just cut to the basket
and was wide open. That's one guy most people wouldn't think would
take the last shot."
The Warriors, who led by 19 points in the second half, rallied
from a fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Grizzlies.
"I was very surprised to get a wide open layup," Blaylock
said. "But the way we've been struggling, every win is a good win
for us."
Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 31 points for Vancouver, which lost
its fifth in a row and 11th in their last 12. The Grizzlies are 1-8
in games decided by three points or fewer.
The Grizzlies had one last chance and Michael Dickerson
inbounded to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, who missed a jumper at the buzzer.
Abdul-Rauf was activated from the injured list earlier in the
day and scored a season-high 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 16
minutes.
"It felt good tonight," Rauf said. "I got some minutes, which
helped. If you can get those types of minutes and get into a
rhythm, it makes things easier. Fortunately they were falling
tonight, but the last one was the most important one and it fell
short. Hopefully, there'll be other days when they'll go in."
The Warriors got to the line 42 times, making 30, compared to
the Grizzlies who went 18-for-22. But Golden State managed to hit
only 8-of-17 in the final quarter.
"If we make our free throws, it's no contest," Cowens said.
"You gotta make them pay. You don't go to the line that much that
often. I don't know if we've ever gone this year that much."
Grizzlies coach Sidney Lowe was not impressed with his team's
start.
"After a terrible start, a horrific start, on both ends by our
starting unit, we had guys come in and give us a big lift," he
said. "I didn't see the energy from a couple of our guys, not
aggressive, but again it was a great comeback and just a lack of
focus on that last play."
Jamison, leading the Warriors in scoring, is encouraged with his
team's play of late.
"We're learning as a team," he said. "If we continue to play
the way we've been playing the last week or two, we're going to be
all right this year."
Game notes
Grizzlies forward Grant Long was placed on the injured list
with a broken right thumb, freeing up Abdul-Rauf to play.
Abdul-Rauf last played December 11 against the Houston Rockets. ...
Golden State came in struggling on the road against Western
Conference opponents. In 11 road games within the conference, they
are 2-9. ... This was the second game of back-to-backs for both
teams. Vancouver lost 104-81 at Portland on Friday while the
Warriors won at home, beating Utah 100-89. ... Golden State plays
at home against Denver on Wednesday before heading out on a
five-game road trip.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Golden State Clubhouse
Vancouver Clubhouse
RECAPS
Orlando 95
Boston 90
Houston 114
Dallas 99
Seattle 104
Charlotte 102
Miami 110
Detroit 102
San Antonio 89
Indiana 77
New York 88
Minnesota 79
Philadelphia 107
Sacramento 104
Phoenix 109
Toronto 103
Denver 120
Milwaukee 113
Golden State 102
Vancouver 101
LA Lakers 116
LA Clippers 114
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Antawn Jamison Official Site
Mike Bibby Official Site
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