As far as the Jazz were concerned, a game against the Golden State Warriors on the first Monday of January was as good a place as any for the turnaround to start.
Out of playoff position two months into the season, opening a four-game homestand, the Jazz pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Warriors 119-114 before a snow-thinned crowd at EnergySolutions Arena. Deron Williams led the Jazz with 25 points and 15 assists, though he went 0-for-3 in the fourth quarter. Paul Millsap had 19 points and 14 rebounds for his 18th consecutive double-double.
Clinging to a 108-105 lead, the Jazz watched Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver miss three jumpers before Millsap pounded in a rebound with 3:37 left. At the other end, Millsap blocked C.J. Watson on a drive, leading to a dunk for Brewer on the break.
Golden State coach Don Nelson called timeout trailing 112-105 and Brevin Knight greeted Millsap with a body check on his way to the bench. Brewer's three-point play with 1:14 left gave the Jazz a six-point lead too great for the Warriors to overcome.
The Warriors lost Stephen Jackson to a strained right hamstring on the final play of the first half, but hung with the Jazz in the third quarter. The Jazz were called for 10 fouls in the quarter, but Golden State converted only 9 of 14 free throws.
The Jazz took a 94-91 lead into the fourth quarter. Williams took a steal the other way, dished to Andrei Kirilenko for a dunk and was grabbed across the face by Corey Maggette. Williams crumpled to the floor but stayed in to hit a free throw.
