The Jazz have been so outmanned, so outgunned, so, well, out of it in the first two games of the NBA Western Conference finals, it's come to this:

The best pep talk to coach Jerry Sloan's club may be coming from the opponent.

"If I'm Utah," said San Antonio Spurs reserve Robert Horry, who has played in more career playoff games — 222 — than any currently active NBA player, "I don't get down.

"You have to think, 'They (the Spurs) took care of things on their homecourt, in their gym, where they shoot the ball well. Now let's go do the same in ours, in our gym, where we shoot well.' If I'm Utah, that's the attitude I take."

Perhaps they're trying to persuade themselves not to let their guard down. Maybe they want to prop up pitiful ratings for the ABC/ESPN-televised series. Or it could be that they're simply messin' with the Jazz.

Whatever the case, Horry wasn't the only Spur talking up Utah after San Antonio won Tuesday night's Game 2 105-96 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

"I don't think there is any chance they will get discouraged," veteran swingman Bruce Bowen said. "They have a great leader over there in Jerry Sloan, and I don't think he would ever let them feel that way.

"We understand that going there is going to be much tougher," Bowen added in looking ahead to the series resuming with Saturday night's Game 3 at EnergySolutions Arena. "In fact, it is going to be tougher than some of the other places we've already gone to play."

Heck, even coach Gregg Popovich, who Spurs advanced by beating Denver and Phoenix, could be heard beating the Jazz's drum — after, that is, San Antonio thumped Utah so soundly that Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and company failed to own a lead in Game 2.

"It is a proud group," Popovich said of the Jazz, who are taking part in their first postseason since 2003 — and in their first conference finals since 1998.

"They don't care if they're up by 10, down by 10, or any score you pick," he added. "They are going to play it to the end, and they are going to do it with class. So, we will have two real tough games in Utah, I know."

The Spurs even offer up a fact or two to boost their case that the Jazz really shouldn't be so down as they head home for the first time since Utah eliminated Golden State from the Western Conference semifinals back on May 15.

"Obviously we've lost two (regular-season) games there — and they haven't lost a game in the playoffs there (this year)," said Tim Duncan, the two-time NBA MVP who had a 26-point, 14-rebound double-double Tuesday. "So we have to understand that they are going to use that crowd's energy. They will be a lot more confident playing in that building."