"You've got to be concerned about it," Paul Millsap said. "If the playoffs started right now, we wouldn't be in it. We had a few nicks and knacks to stop us, but we've got to push forward and try to win games now."

The schedule, however, just might be turning favorable at the right time for the Jazz. They will open a four-game homestand Monday against Golden State desperate to start a winning streak of any kind.

The Jazz propelled themselves into the division lead last season thanks to a 10-game winning streak that started in mid-January. They have yet to win more than two consecutive games this season since opening 5-0.

"We've got to go on a streak," Deron Williams said. "We haven't had a streak all season since the first five games. Now is the time to get on a roll, get some confidence. The best way to do that is to go back home and get things going."

The Jazz averaged 123 points in sweeping the three-game series from the Warriors last season and have won seven of their last eight games against Golden State dating to the 2007 Western Conference semifinals.

After Monday, the Jazz will face New Orleans, Detroit and Indiana to finish the homestand. All three teams will be arriving in Utah for the second game of a back-to-back set, after playing the Lakers, Denver and Golden State, respectively.

Even when they return to the road, the Jazz will open a three-game trip at Oklahoma City and Memphis, two of the conference's doormats. In the meantime at home, the Jazz could practice as many as six times in the next 10 days.

Whether they can take advantage of six winnable games remains to be seen. The Jazz have gone 11-11 without Boozer, who will undergo arthroscopic surgery Friday. There is no certainty when the All-Star forward will return.

"With or without him, we've got to push on," Millsap said. "I think we can't get caught up into who's on the court, who's not on the court. We've got to go out there and play Basketball."

Instead of enjoying an addition, as the Jazz did last season with Kyle Korver arrival from Philadelphia in a Dec. 29 trade, the Jazz are dealing with the subtraction of Boozer.

But C.J. Miles still spoke confidently that the current Jazz team was capable of matching last season's 38-12 finish.

Miles pointed to Millsap's return Friday after missing three games with a sprained knee ligament, improved play out of himself and Ronnie Brewer and progress by Williams, who is "getting healthier by the day" since returning from a sprained ankle.

"Everybody's playing better, everybody's finding their niche, so I think 100 percent we can do that," Miles said.

The Jazz, who were 18-16 after 34 games last season, sit third in the division behind Denver and Portland and ninth in the conference standings, 1 1-2 games out of a playoff spot. "We've got to fight for our life," coach Jerry Sloan said.

rsiler@sltrib.com Turnaround time

The Jazz have been a .500 team since Carlos Boozer went down with an injured left knee Nov. 19 and are out of playoff position with a 19-15 record. A look at where they've been after 34 games the last four seasons:

Season Record Playoffs

2007-08 18-16 Yes

2006-07 24-10 Yes

2005-06 17-17 No

2004-05 11-23 No