Jazz could be in for a long two days

Are you sure we’re not still in Denver, Toto?

The Utah Jazz, which was supposed to be much tougher than the Nuggets, arrived with something less than a thunderclap Sunday, watching the Lakers take an early 17-point lead and win, 109-98.

That’s 5-0 for the Lakers this postseason and 1-0 in this second-round series.

As NBA coaches like to say, it’s a make-or-miss game and the Jazz missed a lot Sunday.

Utah shot 38% overall and was four for 19 on three-pointers. Star point guard Deron Williams was five for 18 from the field.

Of course, the Jazz had less than two days off after eliminating Houston on Friday.

Asked someone in the media room afterward, “Was fatigue a factor in the game at any time?”

“No,” said Coach Jerry Sloan, decisively, ending that discussion.

Of course Sloan, who has no tolerance for losing or excuses, would have said the same thing if his team had walked here from Salt Lake City.

This was actually an opportunity to steal one on the road with the Lakers sitting around for six days, giving even the serene Phil Jackson cause for concern.

“I told our players there’s a tendency to relax, not to get complacent but to get to that non-warrior status of not looking for contact, being less aggressive,” said Jackson before the game.

“I think we have to be prepared for a very aggressive basketball team that’s coming off a tough series.”

Sure enough, the Lakers came out looking rusty, getting outrebounded by the Jazz.

Unfortunately for the visitors, who got 95 shots – 22 more than the Lakers – they missed 59 of them.

“I think the team feeds off my energy,” Williams said. “Coach doesn’t like me putting the blame [on myself] for a loss, but I can play much better offensively and defensively. I’ll take part of the blame for it.”

Of course, on the positive side, Mehmet Okur scored 21 points with 19 rebounds.

“I thought he played hard, looking like he was trying to rebound the basketball a little bit,” Sloan conceded. “That’s what they’re supposed to do.”

Oh, yeah, Jerry doesn’t go for silver linings, either.

Then there was Jackson’s suggestion that Sloan might lodge the usual opposing coach’s complaint about Kobe Bryant shooting 23 free throws, of which he made 21.

Guess again.

“I think that’s fine,” Sloan said. “I don’t have a problem with that. What else is there to comment on? They [referees] called them, he shot them, I can’t do anything about that.”

Actually, he can. Sloan added that his defenders on Bryant, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver and Andrei Kirilenko were “very, very poor, at best,” suggesting they and their teammates are looking at a long two days off back in Salt Lake City before Wednesday’s Game 2.

If the real Jazz doesn’t show up that night, it won’t be because they haven’t been fully reproached.

mark.heisler@latimes.com