Introspective Jazz depart after cleaning out lockers

One night, the Jazz are playing for their playoff lives. The next morning, it's as if they never died.

"It's such a study in contrast, for all the energy and feistiness, then everything this morning is so laid back and introspective," Jazz owner Larry H. Miller said as Jazz players cleaned their Delta Center lockers Wednesday, the day after Portland beat Utah 81-79 and eliminated the Jazz from their Western Conference semifinal series. "In 15 years, that's something I've come to accept and understand. It's just such a huge switch from one direction, mentally, to another."

Miller is not alone in experiencing the night-and-day transformation.

On Tuesday night at the Rose Garden in Portland, disappointed Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was livid that referees failed to call a foul on Rasheed Wallace of the Blazers as Utah's Bryon Russell missed a last-second 3-point try that could have kept the Jazz alive.

By Wednesday, Sloan — whose club was blown out by the Blazers in the first three games of the series, then rebounded to win Game 4 and nearly pull off a Game 5 upset in Portland — was able to calmly put the season into perspective.

"I was really proud of this team (Tuesday night), probably as proud as I've ever been about a basketball team," he said. "I wasn't proud of the fact we lost; I was proud of the fact we went up there with the idea to try to win and came very close to being able to do that. I think if we were able to pull that off; we were in for a real fun dogfight. And that's what I love. I love the fact our guys came to play.

"They showed the ability to be able to come back after some tough times. This team has always done that, and I think that's the character of the team we've had."

Now, though, the basketball season is behind, and it is time to rest before preparing for another season. For some, that may be easier than for others. For the rest, they'll do it in their own unique way.

"That was a tough way to go down, but I think, all in all, guys played well," guard John Stockton said. "I think we had a good season."

Said center Olden Polynice: "Right now, because I'm still feeling the hurt from (Tuesday night); I'm disappointed. But if I look at the whole year, I have to say I'm very pleased by how we played.

"As an athlete, you never want things to end," Polynice added. "Your ultimate goal is the championship, and we didn't take care of that. From that standpoint it is very disappointing. But we live and learn, and we move on."

That is precisely what Karl Malone intends to do.