JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Derek Fisher of the Warriors drove through traffic during last night's NBA preseason game at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Warriors salvage split

Davis is more than enough for Golden State to win the second Hawaii game against the Lakers

They have had a history of what has been called "irrational exuberance." Of high expectations that quickly bottomed out.

This year is supposed to be different. The excitement that Baron Davis brought at the end of last season -- where Golden State went 18-10 after his arrival, 14-5 when he started -- is supposed to carry over.

At least for one night, it did. Davis scored 18 points in the first three quarters to help lead the Warriors to a 112-81 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers last night, and a split of the NBA teams' exhibition series at the Stan Sheriff Center.

A crowd of 7,646 saw Mike Dunleavy add 16 points, all coming in the first quarter, to help Golden State win for the fourth time in six exhibition meetings here with the Lakers.

Los Angeles guard Kobe Bryant, who had 28 in Tuesday's 101-93 win, left with 4:16 remaining in the third quarter after scoring a quiet 11. Leaving with him was forward Lamar Odom, who also had 11, five fewer than he scored the night before. Smush Parker also had 11.

"I thought we were better on defense tonight; it gave us confidence," Warriors coach Mike Montgomery said. "Baron (Davis) did a good job of getting the ball to Mike (Dunleavy) early, that's what you have to do.

"We needed a split on this trip. It would have been difficult not to do it, just so that kids get some confidence in themselves. The effort was there and now we got some results. There were a lot of positives tonight."

In a reversal of fortune from the previous night, Golden State took the lead in the first quarter and held it for the rest of the night. Where the Warriors tired on Tuesday -- in the second half -- they remained strong, particularly when the Lakers challenged in the third quarter.

When asked what he got of out the game, "Exercise, futile exercise," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Maybe it's a learning experience.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Aaron McKie of the Lakers passed the ball while being guarded under the basket by Adonal Foyle of the Warriors.

"We looked very lethargic out there. We shot 50 percent in the first half with 16 turnovers. That's unacceptable. The second half was a disappointment, from the shot selection to the execution. Golden State had something to do with that."

Golden State was enjoying its biggest lead at 71-46 when Los Angeles began its comeback with 7:30 left in the third. Parker hit a 3-pointer to jump-start a 9-0 run over the next 90 seconds to cut the Warriors' lead to 71-55.

Davis scored four points to push the lead back to 20, a margin the Lakers were only able to cut into once the rest of the quarter. Golden State's lead expanded to 30 midway through the fourth, helped by eight of Ray Young's 10 points.

After spotting the Lakers a 10-4 lead in the first, the Warriors began to pull away on the outside shooting of Dunleavy. The 6-foot-9 forward hit four 3-pointers in the final 7 minutes to help give Golden State a 32-22 lead.

Except for missing a free throw following a technical foul, Dunleavy was perfect in the opening 12 minutes, making all six shots from the field en route to 16 points.

Dunleavy didn't score the rest of the half, taking just one shot in 6 minutes. Didn't need to, getting plenty of help from Davis (two 3-pointers), Troy Murphy (six points) and Mickael Pietrus (five points) as the Warriors went into the locker room with a 58-40 halftime lead.

Notes: Los Angeles is expecting to return to the Sheriff Center in 2007, according to John Black, the team's executive director of public relations. "That's the plan, to be back here every two years," he said. ... There was no Jack Nicholson courtside this week, but the Lakers still had drawing power. Watching the exhibitions were members of the cast of "Lost" and actress Kate Hudson. Hawaii's Jasmine Trias, of "American Idol" fame, sang the national anthem. ... Lakers forward Luke Walton is expected to be sidelined 2-6 weeks after severely straining his left hamstring in the final minutes of Tuesday's exhibition opener. Although Walton was walking well yesterday, he should miss next Tuesday's game against Washington in Bakersfield, Calif.