The two sat side-by-side in a cramped visitors' locker room at the Izod Center in New Jersey, the toll of a four-games-in-five-nights trip that ended with Saturday's 117-115 loss to the Nets evident as they looked forward to what awaits.

That would be a five-game homestand that begins tonight versus Toronto and includes visits from the Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle, Charlotte and the Los Angeles Clippers.

It would be just one game on the road over the next three weeks, coming March 30 at Minnesota.

It would be eight of their next nine at EnergySolutions Arena, where the Jazz have won 18 in a row — one shy of the franchise record for consecutive victories at home.

No wonder power forward Carlos Boozer and point guard Deron Williams sounded as if they couldn't wait to get back to Utah.

"We've only lost three games at home all season," Williams said, "and we're definitely very comfortable there."

"It's a comfort," Boozer added, "to go back home and sleep in our own beds, work out some of these bumps and bruises, which we all have. ... Hopefully we go home, get some home-cooked meals, get some rest."

And, they hope as well, for some victories.

The 44-24 Jazz went 2-2 on their trip last week, with losses on the front end at Chicago and the back end at New Jersey sandwiched around victories Wednesday at Milwaukee and Friday at NBA-leading Boston.

Yet the Northwest Division-leading Jazz still have no guarantee of homecourt advantage in the playoffs, something obviously quite critical to them considering their 28-3 home record and their 16-21 record on the road.

With just four road games remaining among their final 14, the Jazz were assured after Saturday's loss that they'll have a losing record away from home for a seventh straight season.

So now their eye is on the prize of securing not just a top-four seed in the Western Conference, which would automatically come with winning the Northwest Division, but also the assurance of security at home for at least one and perhaps more postseason series.

"We're going to need every game that we play at home," Boozer said, "to stay where we are or hopefully move up."

"We've got a chance," Williams added, "to make up some ground if we win all these games."

They also have a chance tonight to match history, something of which Williams said he was not even aware.

The Jazz have had two previous 19-game home winning streaks in franchise history, one that ran from Jan. 19 through March 29, 1996, and another that started on Dec. 13, 1989, and lasted through March 3, 1990.