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Jazz repel Warriors in overtime

Derek Fisher of the Utah Jazz reacts during overtime against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semi-finals of the NBA Playoffs at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

Deron Williams and Derek Fisher made clutch shots down the stretch to lead Utah to a 127-117 overtime win over Golden State on Wednesday in Game 2 of the NBA quarter-final playoffs.

The best-of-seven series shifts to Oakland, California, for games three and four today and tomorrow with the Jazz holding a 2-0 lead.

"We are on a mission," said Utah's Carlos Boozer. "We are playing well together and focused."

To advance to the semi-finals, the Warriors will have to win a game here and they let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers.

Trailing 106-100 after a three-pointer by Mehmet Okur with 4:50 to play, the Warriors went on a 12-1 run to take a seemingly comfortable 112-107 lead.

Stephen Jackson and Jason Richardson hit big three-pointers in the run and things definitely seemed to be going Golden State's way when Andris Biedrins hit two line-drive free throws to make it 110-107 with 1:31 left in the fourth.

Matt Marnes hit a jumper from the top of the key to cap Golden State's run with 53 seconds left in the fourth but then the Warriors unravelled.

They missed three of four free throws and Baron Davis stepped on the sideline as Utah closed regulation on a 6-1 run to force overtime.

Williams hit a jumper in the lane with 2.3 seconds to play in the fourth to tie the game at 113-113 and force overtime.

He added a three-pointer in the first minute of overtime as the Jazz took control with some help from Fisher.

"Fortunately we have rookies that have come into our team and contributed right away," Boozer said. "We got young guys who are not afraid to go out and mix it up. The guys coming off the bench are another reason for our success."

Fisher missed Game 1 and the first half of Game 2 because of his daughter's cancer surgery earlier on Wednesday. He arrived at the arena in the third quarter and was inserted into the game with 3:18 to play in the third.

He scored all five of his points in overtime, including a three-pointer that made it 123-117 with 1:06 to play.

Fisher's return was crucial for the Jazz, who lost rookie guard Dee Brown to a neck injury in the first quarter when Okur landed on him. X-rays were negative but Brown was taken to a hospital on a stretcher as a precaution.

The team said he was undergoing tests at the hospital.

Boozer had 30 points and 13 rebounds, Okur added 23 points and 18 rebounds and Andrei Kirilenko had 20 points, nine rebounds and six blocks for the Jazz.

Davis scored 36 points for Golden State. The Warriors are in the quarter-finals for the first time in 16 years.
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