Jamal Crawford scored 29 points, including the go-ahead basket
in the final three minutes
OAKLAND
Stephen Jackson showed coach Don Nelson his bothersome right hamstring was no longer an issue, hitting a key 3-pointer late in the game against Atlanta – right in front of the home bench.
“I bumped my knee and that hurt more than the hamstring,” Jackson said. “If I can walk and spit at the same time, I know I’m going to play 40 minutes.”
Jackson, who missed four games with a right hamstring strain, had 24 points to help the Golden State Warriors beat the Hawks 119-114 on Friday night.
Jamal Crawford scored 29 points, including the go-ahead basket in the final three minutes, and Corey Maggette had 24 points and a season-high 16 rebounds for the Warriors.
“It was good to see Jack back,” Nelson said. “I thought he had a sensational game and did a commendable job on defense. Jamal got hot in the second half, which we really needed.”
Joe Johnson scored 25 points for the Hawks, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Maurice Evans added 21 points and Michael Bibby had 20.
Atlanta forward Marvin Williams was taken to a hospital after hitting his head on the court during a play in the second quarter and may not make the trip home with the team.
“Marvin’s a big part of what we’re doing,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. “Right now he’s still being evaluated for a head injury. We just wish him well and a speedy recovery. We don’t even know if he’s going to make the trip back, so we’ll just have to see.”
Williams was fouled hard by Warriors’ Ronny Turiaf going up for a short jumper. He made one of two free throws and tried to stay in the game before wobbling off a few seconds later.
Bibby hit consecutive 3-pointers as Atlanta turned a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit into a four-point lead with 3:24 remaining. Crawford hit back-to-back jumpers to tie it and then give the Warriors the lead for good with 2:11 left.
“It was a game that we really needed but we let it slip away,” Bibby said. “We finally got over the hump but we gave up two layups after that and it went back to where it was.”
The same day the Warriors learned Jackson would return to action, C.J. Watson’s turf toe worsened to the point he had trouble walking.
Jackson helped spark the Warriors, who led 100-88 early in the final quarter before the Hawks went on an 18-2 run.
“The biggest thing is to stay positive,” Jackson said. “As we get guys back we’ll keep improving. Corey is somebody to learn from. He doesn’t worry about starting; he’s just a professional. We’re going to be tough to beat when everybody is clicking.”
Atlanta snapped a four-game losing streak, and a three-game road losing streak, in their last contest. The Hawks opened the season with four consecutive road victories but has gone 4-12 away from home since.
After winning nine of their last 10 games in December, the Hawks have lost six of eight.
“We’re not playing great,” Woodson said. “We’re fighting and scraping. We’re in games. Tonight it was just a shootout and we just didn’t make the plays we needed.”
Crawford’s late jumper put the Warriors ahead 85-81 at the end of the third quarter, and his blocked shot of Zaza Pachulia at the buzzer helped carry the momentum into the final period.
Turiaf, Crawford and Maggette each scored in the first 1:30 of the fourth as Golden State opened a 10-point advantage, prompting Woodson to call a timeout.
The Warriors led 56-51 at halftime.
Notes:
An MRI exam on Watson revealed inflammation in his left big toe. He’s listed as day-to-day. … Pachulia’s first field goal of the game gave him 1,000 for his career. … The Warriors had at least five players reach double figures in scoring for the 27th time. … Johnson scored 13 points in the second quarter on 5-of-8 shooting. … The game featured 15 lead changes and 11 ties. … The Warriors and their opponents have scored at least 100 points in each of the past 10 games. … The Warriors shot over 82 percent from the foul line two days after a 61 percent performance.
