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 Jackson's 3-pointer with 55.6 seconds to play gave Golden State its first lead since the opening minute of their 11th victory in 15 games. Monta Ellis added 22 points and Al Harrington had 21 for the Warriors, who fell behind by 23 points in the first half but gradually chipped away at the lead, eventually holding Washington scoreless for 2:50 while rallying to win.
Jackson, playing on a sprained left ankle, made six free throws and that big 3-pointer in the final minute, finishing one point shy of his career high after scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Roger Mason scored a career-high 32 points and Antawn Jamison added 25 for the Wizards, who lost their eighth straight and fell apart late in an otherwise outstanding game for a club missing three key players with injuries. Washington is on its longest skid in more than six years, giving up a 15-4 run by the Warriors in the final 3 minutes.
Baron Davis had 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as Golden State swept the season series from Washington for the first time in five years. The Warriors have rallied from a double-digit deficit 12 times this season.
Only Jackson's heroics prevented the Warriors' second embarrassing home loss to an injury-plagued Eastern Conference club in five days. Chicago outran Golden State for a 114-108 victory last week while playing without three of its top four scorers.
And one night after running themselves ragged in a one-point loss at Phoenix, the Wizards played an inspired first half even without injured regulars Caron Butler, Antonio Daniels and Gilbert Arenas. The Wizards took a 17-point lead into halftime, with 70 of their 72 points coming from just four players. It was easily Washington's highest-scoring half of the season, and just five off the franchise record set in December 2006.
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Mason, the journeyman guard starting just his eighth game of the season, toyed with Ellis' defense for most of the night. Brendan Haywood was largely unstoppable in the first half, but the center scored just two of his 20 points in the second half. DeShawn Stevenson added 18 points for Washington.
Golden State closed the gap to 113-111 on Jackson's free throws with 2:03 left, and Andris Biedrins rebounded Jackson's next missed free throw to set up Captain Jack's go-ahead 3-pointer.
Chris Webber had two points, four rebounds and three fouls while starting his third straight game for the Warriors. The former Washington forward played just 14 minutes.
Notes: Daniels has a right knee injury, and Butler has a strained left hip. ... Jamison converted a rare four-point play as Washington took a 16-point lead in the first quarter. ... Washington rookie Dominic McGuire hit his first NBA 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer, somehow hitting an awkward fallaway by his bench.
[Associated Press; By GREG BEACHAM]
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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