Jazz prove Spurs are only human

Tim Duncan was stone-faced as ever as he swiftly made his way from the far side of the court to the San Antonio Spurs' bench. With Duncan, there are no wild emotional swings, only small degrees of change, from mildly stoic to mildly annoyed.

The meter in Duncan's psyche tilted toward annoyed Saturday night as his team took its first hard spill of the Western Conference finals, a 109-83 loss against the Utah Jazz.

Amid a powder-blue sea of friendly faces at Energy Solutions Arena, the Jazz dominated the second half and won for the first time in this best-of-seven series. Game 4 is here Monday night.

Utah was powered once more by the inside-outside tandem of Carlos Boozer (27 points and 12 rebounds) and Deron Williams (31 points and eight assists). After waiting all week for help to arrive, Boozer and Williams got it from Derek Fisher and Gordan Giricek, who scored 11 points each.

And after a three-day lecture from coach Jerry Sloan about the virtues of defense, the Jazz responded in that department, too. Utah outscored the Spurs by 66-36 in the second half.

"We played well for a quarter," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said tersely. "I thought we matched their energy and physicality for a quarter. At that point, they upped the stakes in that area and we folded, both mentally and physically. The consequence was getting our butts kicked."

Tony Parker scored 25 points for the Spurs, but their other stars faltered. Manu Ginobili had 14 points. Duncan had 16 points and eight rebounds, but he was hampered by foul trouble throughout the second half — particularly in the third quarter, when Utah took control.

Sloan acknowledged that slowing Duncan had been a priority, and that doing so made a big difference in Game 3, but added, "I think Duncan didn't have one of his better games, in all fairness to him."

The Jazz's series-saving run began with a 3-pointer by Fisher that gave Utah a 62-60 lead with 5 minutes 58 seconds left in the third. Duncan picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench, and Utah closed the period on a 16-7 run, taking a 75-67 lead into the fourth.

The Jazz grabbed its first double-digit lead, 79-69, on a 22-foot jumper by Fisher early in the fourth quarter. Paul Millsap scored consecutive baskets, on a dunk and a layup, and Fisher followed with a 3-point play. The Spurs' only answer was three points by Duncan on separate possessions, and the Jazz pushed its lead to 14 points.