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For showing up Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena and staying to the end of the season, selected ticket buyers were treated to autographed mini basketballs, tossed into the stands by Jazz players.

They also received 34 points from rookie Gordon Hayward, videotaped messages of thanks from the team owners and others, fliers advertising 2011-12 season tickets and a 107-103 victory over something resembling the Denver Nuggets.

Jazz fans deserved that, at the very least.

They actually should have taken home a lot more, after being cheated for much of 2010-11.

Coming soon • NBA labor issues, leading to a lockout and uncertainty regarding next season. These memories of Wednesday may have to last awhile: Hayward's starring from start to finish, Al Jefferson's scoring a go-ahead basket in the last minute and the Jazz's salvaging the kind of game they've continually given away the past couple of months at home.

The ending was reasonably satisfying, concluding a season when the team's Hall of Fame coach quit, the All-Star guard was traded and the Jazz delivered exactly two memorable, meaningful performances in this building (Wednesday's game merits its own category, considering Denver's condition of resting for the playoffs).

The day after Thanksgiving, the Jazz scored the game's last 11 points to overtake the Los Angeles Lakers. Two weeks later, Deron Williams and C.J. Miles teamed for 58 points in a win over Orlando.

That's about it. The Jazz barely won more frequently than they lost at home, which is not much return for those 800,000 ticket purchases.

"It's unfortunate we didn't win more here," said coach Tyrone Corbin, citing "tremendous support."

The Jazz's 18-23 road record is worthy of a playoff bid, not an early vacation. But these guys never really could bring it home, where they went 21-20. After winning four games in amazing fashion in November, they came home and lost to Oklahoma City. They followed three pre-Christmas road victories with a loss to Portland.

And then it got worse. Beginning in early February, right before coach Jerry Sloan resigned and Williams was traded to New Jersey, the Jazz lost 12 of 15 home games — before Wednesday.

This from a team with a 133-31 home record during the previous four seasons.

The Jazz's injuries became almost absurd, so it was fitting that only eight players dressed for the season finale.

They may have lost their final home game each of the past four years, but those farewells came in the playoffs, long after April 13. Knowing this was the end, the Jazz could have produced more clever ways of thanking the customers, beyond the standard stuff.

A few fans could have joined those eight healthy players in the layup line. Andrei Kirilenko could have spent his $217,000 game check on hot dogs and drinks for everybody, while sitting out potentially his final night as a Jazzman. Corbin could have had somebody call a play from the stands.

Something out of the ordinary would have been nice.

But you know what? The fans were happy with what they got.

They were into this thing. They celebrated Hayward's career night, and they were rewarded with a strong finish.

These are loyal, supportive people, relative to the rest of the world. For their sake, the NBA and its players need to stage the 2011-12 season, and the Jazz need to deliver at home.

After thanking the fans in a brief pregame speech, Hayward concluded, "We look forward to the same thing next year."

Presumably, he meant the support — not all those home losses and the goodbyes, short of the playoffs. —

Jazz 107, Nuggets 103

R In short • The Jazz down the Nuggets in the season finale.

Key stat • Utah's Gordon Hayward set a season high with 34 points.

Key moment • Hayward scored four of the Jazz's final six points.