NBA Roundup : Warriors Rally From 2 Games Down, Eliminate Jazz

Larry Smith has not lasted seven seasons in the National Basketball Assn. because of his scoring. The 6-foot, 8-inch forward has averaged just nine points a game in his career.

The rebounding and defense of the former Alcorn State star have enabled him to stay around as the Golden State Warriors’ power forward.

But it was Smith’s offense down the stretch Sunday at Salt Lake City that enabled the Warriors to outlast Utah, 118-113, and become the first team in 31 years to win a best-of-five playoff after losing the first two games.

The Warriors will meet the Lakers in the opener of their best-of-seven series Tuesday night at the Forum.

After the underdog Warriors built a 22-point lead in the third quarter, the Jazz came surging back and seemed on the verge of taking the lead .

In the fourth quarter, the tiring Warriors made only five field goals. Smith made two of them, both off rebounds . The last one came with 17 seconds remaining and clinched the victory.

Smith’s basket made it 116-111. If the Jazz had grabbed the rebound of Sleepy Floyd’s miss, they could have sent the game into overtime with a three-point basket.

Smith finished with 12 points, 8 in the fourth quarter when Utah outscored the Warriors, 36-28. Going into the last quarter, Golden State led, 90-77. But within five minutes, the lead was only five. There were hectic moments the rest of the way, but the Jazz didn’t get closer than three points.

Purvis Short, whose sensational shooting enabled the Warriors to come from 13 points behind Friday night to tie the series, gave credit to the finish of Game 2 at Salt Lake City for the Warriors’ turnaround.

Short said a fight between Greg Ballard of the Warriors and Karl Malone of Utah, after the Jazz won the second game, helped the Warriors.

“That scene at the end really brought us together,” Short said. “We developed a good feeling and a confidence that can’t be described. We talked about coming back here for Game 5 and we knew we could win.”

Floyd, with 21 points and Joe Barry Carroll, who fouled out after scoring 24, sent the Warriors in front early. At halftime they led, 67-51. Ballard had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Darrell Griffith, who had 11 points in the fourth quarter and Thurl Bailey came off the bench to spark the futile Utah rally.

Detroit 112, Atlanta 111--Isiah Thomas figures the Pistons and Hawks are so close that “every play is a big play.”

Thomas, who scored 30 points in the opener of the best-of-seven second round series at Atlanta, gave the Hawks a shot at pulling it out.

With 16 seconds left, the teams were tied, 111-111. Thomas was fouled, missed the first and made the second to give Atlanta its opportunity.

As he has so many times in the last two seasons, Dominique Wilkins took the shot, a 15-foot jumper. But Wilkins, who was only 7 for 18 from the field, missed and the Pistons had a 1-0 lead.

“All year long, it’s come down to the last play between us,” Thomas, who had 10 assists, said.

It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Pistons, who swept Washington in three games in the first round. The four wins in a row is a franchise playoff record.

The Pistons, who made 17 consecutive free throws in the second half before Thomas missed in the closing seconds, led, 107-100, with three minutes remaining.

But Tree Rollins and Antoine Carr led a Hawks rally that cut the margin to 111-110 with almost a minute left.

The Hawks trapped Thomas and stole the ball with 33 seconds left. Doc Rivers was fouled and made one of two free throws to tie the game and set the stage for Thomas.

The teams were 42 for 82 from the field, but Thomas was 2 for 3 and Bill Laimbeer 1 for 1 on three-pointers. The Hawks were 0 for 5. Former Laker Mike McGee, who has often come off the bench to spark the Hawks, missed four of the three-point tries .

The Pistons will try to take a 2-0 lead in the series Tuesday night at Atlanta.

“You gotta get lucky when you’re on the other guy’s court,” Coach Chuck Daly of the Pistons said.