To their credit, the Jazz didn't panic after losing in Game 3. Concerned, yes. Panicked, not really. They knew they were still leading the series, even though they missed 13 free throws, guard Deron Williams overlooked an open man (Boozer) at the buzzer and Boozer scored well below his normal clip.

Playing poorly and still coming within two points isn't the worst news you can get.

The Jazz probably fell suspect to the same things everyone else does in their job, i.e. getting too comfortable.

They might even have figured their Game 3 slip-up was a lot like the a classic episode of "Seinfeld," in which neurotic George Costanza decides it's time for a change. So he starts doing the opposite of everything he would normally do. He introduces himself to a beautiful stranger. He orders a different lunch. He tells off George Steinbrenner during a job interview.

As Costanza put it, "Hey, I just found twenty dollars! I tell you this, something is happening in my life. I did this opposite thing last night. Up was down, black was white, good was ...

"Bad," interjects Seinfeld.

By the next episode, George is back to his old, insecure self.

The Jazz spent awhile doing the opposite of their nature, too — winning on the road and losing at home.

Now they're apparently back to their old selves. They traded punishment for punishment, hard foul for hard foul on Saturday. They dived for loose balls. They out-rebounded the Spurs and held Tracy McGrady to 9-for-25 shooting.

In those ways, they played a lot like the Spurs are playing.

Sometimes all it takes is a scare to get things back on track.

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E-mail: rock@desnews.com