Against Portland last Wednesday, it was because point guard Deron Williams exited early with a groin-strain aggravation, and the Jazz failed to execute on two particular late-game possessions.

Williams, who shot just 1-of-8 from the field Monday, aggravated the groin a bit again against the Warriors and left after logging fewer than five third-quarter minutes.

Against Sacramento on Friday and Seattle on Saturday, it was because they blew second-half leads of 17 and 22 points, respectively.

This time, though, it was simply because they were out of it by halftime.

"You have to give them credit," Harpring said. "They played harder than us."

That's becoming quite a trend for the Jazz.

And the fact it's happening against teams either certainly or perhaps not headed for postseason play — the Warriors started the night ninth in the Western Conference, and barely slipped into the West's eighth and final playoff spot by winning — had to compound Sloan's frustrations.

"I think you have to have a killer instinct to want to come back and get after people and prove that you belong, wherever you are, every night," he said. "That's what the great teams, and the good teams, really do on a night-to-night basis.

"Now, I think we're a good team, but ... (that) still linger(s) with us a little bit."

NOTES: Jazz backup shooting guard Gordan Giricek aggravated the already-sore right-side ribs that caused him to recently miss six games, and didn't play in Monday's second half. Both he and Williams are being called "day-to-day," leaving uncertain their availability for Wednesday's home game against Denver. ... The Warriors went up by as many as 32 points in the fourth quarter, three shy of the Jazz's largest deficit in a game (last month against the Los Angeles Clippers) this season. ... Stephen Jackson scored a game-high 28 for Golden State on 10-of-16 field shooting. ... Jazz rookie Ronnie Brewer's 21 points were a team-high and, by nine, a career-high. ... Carlos Boozer's double-double (17 points, 11 rebounds) was the Jazz power forward's 49th of the season. He came into the game ranked fourth among league leaders in double-doubles.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com