Game 1 — Spurs 108, Jazz 100
They went to San Antonio hoping to end a 16-game drought and win for the first time at the AT&T Center. But, even with the stakes ratcheted up, it was not to be for coach Jerry Sloan's overwhelmed club. Not with the Spurs clicking as they did with their big three scorers piling up the points while the Jazz's scoring leader struggled. Two-time NBA MVP Tim Duncan poured in 27, Manu Ginobili added 23 from off the bench and All-Star Tony Parker had 21 to take a 1-0 lead.
"Our guys really didn't lay it out there" Sloan said. "They know they were playing against a great team," Sloan added, "but the first thing you've got to do is compete — and I didn't think we competed as hard as we're capable of playing." Mehmet Okur missed 12 of his 15 shots to finish with 10 points as the Jazz mustered only a 2007 playoffs-low 36 points in the opening half but cut the lead to 7 before the Spurs held on for the win.
Game 2 — Spurs 105, Jazz 96
In almost a mirror image of Game 1, the Jazz fell behind early in Game 2 only to make a late run in the fourth quarter. But the result was the same — another loss in San Antonio and the Jazz down 0-2 in the best of seven series. San Antonio outscored Utah 32-17 in the second quarter as the Spurs made 13 of 26 3-point attempts and led by as many as 22 points in the third quarter.
Game 3 — Jazz 109, Spurs 83
With the first Western Conference Finals game played in Utah since the 1998 season, the Jazz found the spark they needed to dominate San Antonio and cut the series lead to 2-1. Utah won a second quarter for a change, outscoring the Spurs 28-24 after miserable second periods in San Antonio, Tim Duncan got in foul trouble and the Jazz cruised to an easy win. The Jazz bench, led by Jarron Collins, Paul Millsap and Matt Harpring contributed 38 points. With the Jazz leading 62-60, Duncan picked up his fourth foul and the Jazz responded by going on on an 11-6 run.
"We went out and executed well, defended well, for a full 48 minutes," said Deron Williams. "Not 28 minutes, 32 minutes. For the full 48, and that's why we won." That, and a 27-point, 12-rebound double-double from power forward Carlos Boozer.
Even with the win the Jazz were able to maintain a healthy dose of perspective.
"In one point of the game they were frustrated," said reserve Gordan Giricek, "but I think it won't affect them for (Game 4)."
Game 4 — Spurs 91, Jazz 79
The Game 3 beatdown only inspired the Spurs to play better defense and they did, coming out much more physical and going inside. For the game, the Spurs outscored Utah 30-14 at the free-throw line, a driving Manu Ginobili scoring 12 of his 22 points there. The decisive point came with Utah down 78-72 and the Jazz missing three straight shots while committing three straight fouls, good for a 10-point Spurs differential.
Deron Williams got little scoring help. Carlos Boozer had 18 points and nobody else more than nine, while the Spurs had five players in double figures.
Jazz fans showered the court with debris forcing ESPN to cancel on-court interviews as security personnel escorted the Spurs and the referees out of the arena. An ugly end to an ugly Jazz loss.
Game 5 — Spurs 109, Jazz 84
Still frustrated by their Game 4 performance, the Jazz looked disinterested early on in the decisive Game 5, came out flat, couldn't sustain a run until it was all but over, and the Spurs sent the Jazz packing with a 21-point thumping that wasn't really that close.
Afterward, both guard Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer called out their teammates, though they softened their comments the next day during locker clean-out in Salt Lake City.
Nevertheless, the Jazz were overmatched in their series with the Spurs and never really found the spark they needed to win on the road.