After an outbreak of early-season injuries, the Spurs exit the All-Star break looking like one of four teams with a legitimate shot at an NBA championship.

Old?

So is Bruce Springsteen.

So is the U.S. Constitution.

But they're both doing fairly well, too.

"I like the direction we are going," said Parker. "I think we're in the right track. We're playing very good Basketball right now. We've had some big wins on the road -- Utah, Boston. So we're going in the right direction. We just have to keep it going."

San Antonio trails the Lakers by 6? games in the Western Conference, but the Spurs have opened a four-game lead in the rugged Southwest Division and looked primed for another deep playoff run.

That's why Parker smiles when asked about those who thought the Spurs, who have won four championships since 1999, were too old to contend again.

"People always say that about us," he said. "But it's OK because we know whatever happens, we're always going to be solid.

"We have a great core, a great organization, a great system. So we really don't pay attention to that. We just go out there and play hard and see what happens."

Tim Duncan remains the leader of the Spurs. He averages 20.8 points and, in a league without Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, Duncan would be mentioned in every MVP discussion.

"Some people believe they can beat San Antonio this year," said Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. "But now they have to go out and prove it. And that won't be easy. ? I would hate to count them out [because] San Antonio knows how to win. Those players -- especially Duncan, Parker and Ginobili -- they believe they're going to win."

Maybe that's why the Spurs are 9-3 this season in games decided by three points or less.

And why they are 4-0 in overtime.

Still, Parker admits the Lakers have been the West's dominant team during the first 3? months of the regular season.

L.A. is 42-10, which puts the Lakers on a 66-win pace.

"At this point," said forward Lamar Odom, "we feel like we're not going to beat ourselves. You are going to have to beat us."

According to Derek Fisher, the Lakers' consistency has been a key to their success: "We haven't had very many nights this year when you can look back and say, 'They just weren't there. They didn't compete. They didn't give everything they had.'"

After the Jazz scored a 113-109 win over the Lakers last week, Fisher still found a silver lining.

"In the past, I think the Jazz would have probably found a way to crack that game open and run away with it," he said. "But I think we showed some mental and physical toughness to keep ourselves in the game."

luhm@sltrib.com