Sizzling Jazz on the rise in West News Utah Jazz

INDIANAPOLIS ? Shortly before they did, point guard Deron Williams suggested it was imperative that the Jazz take off on a winning streak. A really, really long one. And now that they have ? claiming 11 in a row, which matches the third-longest string of consecutive victories in franchise history ?

he isn't shy about reminding anyone who asks, and even some who don't, that he was first to make the call. "It's something we needed, something we talked about," Williams said after yet another win, this one coming Sunday at Toronto. Because the cry was heard, and answered, the Jazz no longer are on the outside looking in at the NBA's Western Conference playoff picture. Instead ? with 19 regular-season games remaining, including tonight's at Indiana in stop No. 2 of a five-outing Eastern Conference road swing ? they're right in the thick of things. Less than a quarter of their 82-game season remains, and the Jazz ? instead fretting over whether or not they'll even make the playoffs ? are vying for a top-four seed in the West and resulting homecourt advantage in at least the opening round of postseason play. Moreover, what seemed like a long-ago lost chance at winning a third straight Northwest Division title remains alive and well. "A month and a half ago," Williams said, "it didn't look like we'd win the division. Now, we're right there. "We've just got to keep winning," he added. "We've got a lot of road games ahead of us (12 in all), so we've got to prove we can win on the road, prove we're worthy of the playoffs." Yet the streak that started Feb. 11 against the Los Angeles Lakers and got the Jazz to this point has had its share of asterisks and notable avoided landmines. Eight of the 11 victories have come at home. Five have come against currently sub-.500 teams, and five have come against opponents playing on the second night of a back-to-back set when the Jazz were not. Kevin Garnett got hurt in a game against Boston, injured Al Jefferson didn't play for Minnesota and Stephen Jackson was rested by Golden State, just to mention a few more of the breaks the Jazz have caught. And then there's been Utah's oh-so-many slow starts and late comebacks, especially against teams that won't be taking part in this year's playoffs. The Jazz didn't put Minnesota away until a 10-0 run in the fourth. They broke open a one-point game with Sacramento only after an 11-0 final-quarter run. They didn't take the lead for good against Golden State until late in the third quarter. They were still tied with playoff-bound Houston with less than five minutes to go, and in Toronto on Sunday they had to rally from eight points down in the fourth. "We don't want to do that," Williams said of the Jazz flipping the switch only when they really must. "We've got to get out of that habit. "I think we need the same defensive effort in the first half, and the first quarter, that we have at the end of ballgames," he added. "Especially on the road, we can't rely on just turning it on in the fourth quarter and winning ballgames." The consolation is that they are, even if the reason behind the somewhat disconcerting trend is tough to pinpoint. "I can't really tell you why," forward Andrei Kirilenko said, "but I think probably we're a little more concentrated, we're a little bit more focused and a little more passionate to help each other. "For some reason, we can't do it whole game," he added. "But at least we're doing at right moments." All of which leaves coach Jerry Sloan, of course, less than satisfied. Yet even he can see light for a once injury-plagued club that's managed to reverse course in what until only recently appeared to be a terrifically dark tunnel. "I like the feeling of (winning) a lot of better, I'll tell you that," said Sloan, whose Jazz started the season 9-17 on the road but since has won its last three away from home. "You know, we weathered a lot of the storms to try to hang in there," he added. "Now, if we keep everybody together and keep everybody healthy, I think we'll be competitive as we come down the stretch. I think we'll win on the road, hopefully, better than what we have." Hot streaks With a victory tonight at Indiana, the Jazz would extend their current overall winning streak to 12 ? the fourth-longest in franchise history. The current top five streaks, including ties: . . . Games . . . Dates . . . . . Ended 1. . . 15 . . . Nov. 13, 1996, to Dec. 12, '96 . . . . . by Phoenix 2. . . 15 . . . March 12, 1997, to April 11, '97 . . . . . at Los Angeles Lakers 3. . . 14 . . . Jan. 7, 1995, to Feb. 1, '95 . . . . . at Houston 4. . . 11 . . . Feb. 26, 1998, to March 16, '98 . . . . . at Charlotte 5. . . 11 . . . April 1, 1999, to April 18, '99 . . . . . by San Antonio 6. . . 11 . . . Feb. 11, 2009, to present . . . . . still active E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com