Class in session: Jazz learn the hard way from Professor Pop's Spurs

"There were some guys that were already on vacation. Point blank. On vacation. A long time ago," a very frustrated Williams said. "They play for each other. I think that's one thing we can take away from them. There are definitely some guys not on the same page; not just in this game, but in the entire series."

With Williams and Carlos Boozer entrenched as a solid combination for the next few seasons, the Jazz have anchors to build around. Mehmet Okur is better than he showed in this series, and Andrei Kirilenko needs to figure out that the way he played against Golden State used to be the norm. He's not the All-Star he used to be, and he's no doubt one of the guys Williams was referring to.

"We are in the Western Conference finals and we have guys with vacation plans," Williams said. "On the other side of the spectrum, you see a guy like D. Fish who flew across the country to make it back to the game. It is sad to have that. One guy on vacation, some guys having real life stuff going on and trying to make it back and give everything he has. That's a problem we need to get fixed this summer."

Clearly, the Jazz have some problems they need to overcome. Another is quite simply that they have a starting shooting guard being counted on to play far too large a role. He's a solid veteran, but normally, you wouldn't be hinging on the availability of a Fisher the way the Jazz were.

"You know, part of me feels like I -- not failed, because I feel we did a great job, but I just -- I couldn't transfer the taste that I have in my mouth for being the best over to everybody," Fisher said. "I feel like if I could have done that, if I could have really given everyone a sense of how good it feels to be an NBA champion, I think we could have really done it. We got this close without really having a team that understands what it takes to get there.

"Our season ending for a lot of these guys will give them a feel for how bad it feels to lose your last game. It is the worst feeling in sports."

The Jazz have too little behind Fisher. He should be serving as a stabilizing presence called on to hit clutch shots off the bench. Ultimately, starting will limit his effectiveness, and that's a situation Utah will aim to rectify.

The Spurs bring All-Star Manu Ginobili off the bench as a sixth man. Think about how large an advantage that is.

Fisher is also right about the attitude adjustment Utah needed, but that ultimately went down as predicted, with championship experience providing a major difference.

The Jazz can definitely get back to this part of the mountain, and they have the right guy in place to bring them back. Sloan was around before Popovich, is equally as demanding and is very aware of what it takes to win.

"There is never a happy ending if you don't win it all," Sloan said. "You end up the season as a loser and that's never exciting. I have been in this business a long time ... if you don't win it all, that's pretty much what you end up as. That's a pretty bitter pill.

"The only thing is, are you willing to come back and try it again?"

Sloan is, and has time and time again for 19 years. He's seen all of this up close. Now his team has, too.