Their current 18-game run started with a New Year's Eve victory over Portland, with their last loss at home coming Dec. 29 against Boston.

It's a string of success that 20th-season Jazz coach Jerry Sloan attributes largely to loyalty.

"We've had terrific fans in Utah," he said, "and they've been terrific as long as I've been there.

"They have supported the team when we weren't very good," Sloan added, "and they obviously have supported us very well since we're a better team, and I think our players respond to that."

More important to Jazz players than any streak, though, is simply winning.

Last season's Western Conference finalists know all too well, after all, the stigma attached to them because of the incongruity of their records home and away.

"We haven't proved that we could win on the road a lot this season, and that's what a lot of people see and a lot of people knock about us," Williams said. "They don't take us seriously when it's gonna come playoff time, because they don't think we can't win on the road — which we're probably gonna have to do.

"But I think we can."

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Jazz homecourt winning streaks

• 18-games — Dec. 29, 2007, to present

• 19 games — Jan. 19 to March 29, 1996

• 19 games — Dec. 13, 1989, to March 3, 1990

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com