Lakers guard Derek Fisher played for the Jazz last season, averaging 10.1 points and 3.3 assists before asking to be released from his contract so he could return to a city that has proper care for his daughter Tatum, who is battling eye cancer.

JAZZ 96, RAPTORS 79: Simply being in their home arena isn't enough for the Jazz to log wins. They've got to work for them.

Toronto reminded the Jazz of this Monday night as the Raptors, missing star Chris Bosh and playing the second of back-to-back games, almost spoiled the Jazz's home winning streak before falling at EnergySolutions Arena.

The win was the 19th straight at home, tying a club record reached twice before. But it wasn't the most memorable victory in the run that started on New Year's Eve with a win over Portland.

The margin at the end was misleading as the Jazz struggled with the Raptors most of the night. They trailed the majority of the first quarter and nursed single-digit leads in the second and third quarters.

"It was one of those games where they kept hanging in there, and finally in the last part of the game we got a little life," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.

Deron Williams led the Jazz with 21 points, and Kyle Korver celebrated his birthday by adding 17 points, including 11 in the fourth.

The Jazz has a chance to break the franchise record for home wins Thursday against the Lakers, a game whose importance for the playoff race overshadows any nice franchise mark it could provide.

"I'm more worried about the standings," Korver said when asked of the streak. "I know when we lose we potentially go down in the standings and I don't want to do that. The streak is nice, but the focus of these games is moving up the standings."