From Deseret News archives:

Great escape: Jazz take 2-0 series lead with dramatic victory over Warriors

Published: Thursday, May 10, 2007 12:09 a.m. MDT
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He got Davis to step out of bounds with 27.4 seconds left and Golden State still up three, then watched as Okur made a foot-on-the-long-distance-line jumper to pull the Jazz to within one and — after Davis missed the second of two free throws — Williams knocked down a nifty 12-footer to make it 113-113 with 2.3 seconds remaining.

Fisher — whose daughter, Tatum, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a form of childhood cancer arising from immature retinal cells in the eye — wound up with the rebound of a desperation trey try by Davis, then fed Boozer for a driving layup for Utah's first bucket in overtime.

And when Fisher knocked down a 3-pointer from the left side to make it 123-117 Jazz with 1:06 to go in OT, Utah was well on its way to outscoring Golden State 14-4 in the extra period and taking a comfy 2-0 series lead to Oakland for Friday's Game 3.

Boozer wound up with a 30-point, 13-rebound double-double, Okur had a 23-point, 18-board double-double that included two huge fourth-quarter 3s, Williams finished with a 17-point, 14-assists double-double and Kirilenko offered 20 points and nine rebounds while playing a little point between the time Brown went down and Fisher made it to the arena.

But it was the 10-minute, five-point, three-assist showing by Fisher that left most everyone exiting the theater Wednesday with something of a smile.

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"He did a great job," said guard Gordan Giricek, who started in Fisher's place. "He got us in a chance to have the last shot, because he played great defense on Baron Davis. That was crucial, I think."

"He got off the plane. He didn't warm up. He didn't stretch. He didn't shoot," Williams added. "(But) he came in the game and played great defense ... There's not enough that could be said of him."

Nor of a game that more than lived up to its billing, and left at least one key character virtually speechless.

"I don't have words," Fisher.

And he really didn't need any.


E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com

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Utah Jazz guard Derek Fisher after hitting a pivotal 3-pointer in overtime. The shot helped the Jazz prevail.

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