GUND ARENA Warriors dim Cavs' playoff hopes

Cleveland's comeback faltered down the stretch in a 103-100 setback.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Jason Richardson scored a season-high 35 points, topping LeBron James' 34, and leading the Golden State Warriors over Cleveland 103-100 Saturday night, dimming the Cavaliers' playoff chances.
Cavaliers coach Paul Silas called the game a must-win to maintain realistic hopes for the playoffs. The loss dropped Cleveland to three games behind idle Boston for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavaliers, who have lost four straight and eight of nine, were outplayed the entire game, but nearly pulled off a comeback.
Down 97-92, James hit a deep 3 after a Warriors turnover. Richardson responded with a 15-footer, then held his finger to his lips as if he was silencing the screaming crowd.
Ira Newble's 3-point play made it 99-98 with 47 seconds left. Richardson hit two free throws, then followed James' drive with another pair of free throws.
Near the end
With 16 seconds left, Kedrick Brown in-bounded to James, who wanted go to go for a quick two-pointer. But James temporarily lost possession of the ball, then was double-teamed. So he passed to Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who missed a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to end it.
Mike Dunleavy scored 23 points and Troy Murphy added 18 for the Warriors, who have won nine of 11.
Carlos Boozer scored 26 points and 13 rebounds. Ilgauskas scored 17 despite getting into foul trouble.
James tied it twice with back-to-back jumpers in the third quarter, but the Cavaliers could not claim the lead. James had 10 assists and eight rebounds.
The Cavaliers' last lead was 20-19 late in the first quarter. Golden State went on an 11-2 run behind five points from Murphy to end the first period with a 29-22 lead.
Murphy scored 14 points in the first half and Dunleavy 18, shooting 7-for-9.
The Warriors shot 61 percent versus the Cavaliers' 34 percent in the first half with Mateen Cleaves and Jason Kapono both 0-for-4.
The Warriors led by as many as 15 in the second quarter before the Cavaliers' 10-3 run made it 56-48 at halftime.
Notes
The Warriors had lost 12 straight at Cleveland. Their last win was Nov. 28, 1990. ... Cavaliers point guard Jeff McInnis will return from the injured list Tuesday and start against Toronto. ... Golden State's Erick Dampier will miss the rest of the season with a sprained left ankle. ... The Warriors signed guard J.R. Bremer before Saturday's game. He did not play. Bremer was released by the Cavaliers on March 3. ... Avery Johnson sat out with a strained hamstring. ... The Cavaliers had their 14th sellout, the third most in team history.