These are the kind of games you expect the Warriors to bungle -- the late- season matchups with playoff powers. Like a slap in the face, they are reminders that while the other guys are going places, the perennially last- place Warriors continue to struggle .

At least they tried to make it interesting. A 109-101 victory by Utah before an announced crowd of 16,147 at the Arena in Oakland might have bolstered the Jazz's efforts to avoid Sacramento in the postseason.