Utah Jazz extra: Starting 5, starring the Jazz and Lakers

With Friday's loss in L.A. still fresh in mind, here are five topics loosely related to the Jazz, the Lakers and the Hall of Fame-bound player who shares ties with both squads (P.S. That's Karl Malone, not Derek Fisher):

1. That was a statement game, all right

Have to disagree with the notion that the Jazz didn't make a statement when they had a chance to do just that Friday in Los Angeles. The statement came across loud and clear: Utah has become the Kevin Costner of the NBA when it comes to struggling to find success again in Tinsel Town. The Jazz have lost 14 straight at Staples Center to the Lakers. Fourteen! When did they put up the "Welcome to San Antonio" sign at LAX? Heck, even the woeful Clippers have more wins in SoCal this year than Utah, which even (gulp) lost its last game to the L.A. Lottery. That's gotta change for the Jazz to make a title run.

2. Speaking of statements and the Lakers

Think Derek Fisher likes playing against his old team? He should the way he lights up Utah. The veteran guard only averaged 8.8 points as the Lakers beat the Jazz in three of four games this season, but L.A. might urge him to shoot more if the two meet up in the playoffs. Consider this: Fisher is shooting just 38.3 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc this season. But against Utah? He torched the nets (that isn't the Jazz's nickname in L.A., by the way) and burned Utah at the rate of 56.5 percent overall while hitting half of his 3-pointers. Ouch.

3. So, coach, what's really on your mind?

Karl Malone played 18 mostly incredible seasons for the Jazz, but he ended his NBA career wearing the purple and gold alongside Kobe and Shaq. While giving glowing Hall of Fame-worthy remarks about his former star pupil, Jerry Sloan claimed he never razzed the power-lifting forward for going to play for the enemy. The coach didn't even talk to Malone about what some Jazz fans still consider an act of treason. Sloan's tongue-in-cheek reason? "I didn't want to get my butt kicked at that age."

4. Karl Malone still (hearts) Utah — really!

OK, The Mailman did end his career as a Laker — and, yes, we're talking about his basketball career, not his truck-driving career, his pro wrestling career, his police-officer career, his logging career or his hunting career. But Deron Williams said something Saturday that might ease the troubled hearts of Jazz fans who aren't exactly fond of No. 24, Coach Zen Master or any court-side celebrities. Turns out, D-Will and K-Malo keep in touch now and again. "He's a great guy," Williams said of Malone. "He always talks about how proud he is of us. You can tell he's still a Jazz man at heart."

5. Let's play an L.A. time-capsule game