Utah Jazz: Sizzling Jazz on the rise in West

INDIANAPOLIS — Shortly before they did, point guard Deron Williams suggested it was imperative that the Jazz take off on a winning streak.

A really, really long one.

And now that they have — claiming 11 in a row, which matches the third-longest string of consecutive victories in franchise history — he isn't shy about reminding anyone who asks, and even some who don't, that he was first to make the call.

"It's something we needed, something we talked about," Williams said after yet another win, this one coming Sunday at Toronto.

Because the cry was heard, and answered, the Jazz no longer are on the outside looking in at the NBA's Western Conference playoff picture.

Instead — with 19 regular-season games remaining, including tonight's at Indiana in stop No. 2 of a five-outing Eastern Conference road swing — they're right in the thick of things.

Less than a quarter of their 82-game season remains, and the Jazz — instead fretting over whether or not they'll even make the playoffs — are vying for a top-four seed in the West and resulting homecourt advantage in at least the opening round of postseason play.

Moreover, what seemed like a long-ago lost chance at winning a third straight Northwest Division title remains alive and well.

"A month and a half ago," Williams said, "it didn't look like we'd win the division. Now, we're right there.

"We've just got to keep winning," he added. "We've got a lot of road games ahead of us (12 in all), so we've got to prove we can win on the road, prove we're worthy of the playoffs."

Yet the streak that started Feb. 11 against the Los Angeles Lakers and got the Jazz to this point has had its share of asterisks and notable avoided landmines.

Eight of the 11 victories have come at home.

Five have come against currently sub-.500 teams, and five have come against opponents playing on the second night of a back-to-back set when the Jazz were not.

Kevin Garnett got hurt in a game against Boston, injured Al Jefferson didn't play for Minnesota and Stephen Jackson was rested by Golden State, just to mention a few more of the breaks the Jazz have caught.

And then there's been Utah's oh-so-many slow starts and late comebacks, especially against teams that won't be taking part in this year's playoffs.