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SALT LAKE CITY - Time is ticking down until the Jazz get a weekend off for the All-Star break. They will play at Houston, home against the Spurs and at Minnesota and need to come out with wins to stay in the playoff race.
The Jazz took a step in the right direction by regaining a winning record with their 114-100 victory over the Wizards. They are currently a game out of the playoffs at 15-14.
This game might have been the best game the Jazz have played, and at least the best three quarters. They broke 100 points in the third while shooting nearly 53 percent from the field.
"We got a lot of work still to do," said Coach Tyrone Corbin. "We understand that it's a lot of games still to be played."
The Jazz will have to keep up their play to get into playoff contention by the All-Star break.
How important is it to get into the top-8 before the All-Star break?
Last year the West standings looked like this at the break: San Antonio, Dallas, L.A., Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Portland, Denver and Memphis with Utah, Houston and Phoenix within five games.
The final regular season standings were: San Antonio, L.A., Dallas, Oklahoma City, Denver, Portland, New Orleans and Memphis in the playoffs with Houston, Phoenix and Utah within seven games.
"These are three games that we must win," said Al Jefferson, who scored a season-high 34 points. "We need to go into the All-Star break above that red-line [top-8 Western teams] go into the All-Star break with some confidence get some rest and come back and get ready for Sacramento."
In the Eastern Conference the same top-8 teams at the break made the playoffs as well: Chicago, Miami, Boston, Orlando, Atlanta, New York, Philadelphia and Indiana.
The break was later last season, roughly two-thirds through the season compared to half-way this year, but it was 16 for 16 last season that made the playoffs. If that holds again this season these next three games could unofficially decide the season.
Alec Burks said the Jazz need to "try hard, get better and win." through these next three games. He finished with 13 points on 6-7 shooting after playing 20 minutes for the first time since Jan. 19 against Dallas.
The Jazz aren't looking at just sweeping these games however.
"One win leads to two wins," said Paul Millsap, who added another workmanlike double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, including six offensive. "Two wins lead to three, we got to appreciate every win we get. We got to take every game one game at a time."
