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Phoenix • Loud and lively, the Utah Jazz lockerroom is a happy place to be these days.

This was especially true following Utah's 98-89 win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena. There was Derrick Favors teasing Rudy Gobert about a second-half jumper that didn't catch the rim. There was Gobert admiring his touch at the free-throw line. There was Joe Ingles and Gordon Hayward going back and forth about the NCAA Tournament viability of Butler, Hayward's alma mater.

Why wouldn't the feeling be a good one around the Jazz right now? They've won six consecutive games, and look more and more by the day like the defensive juggernaut of last season. They are 25-25 on the season, back at .500 for the first time since early December.

Heck, even coach Quin Snyder is getting in on the act.

"I'm going to let myself feel good about winning six in a row," Snyder said in a joking manner. "As you know, I want us to be consistent, and today's game is a microcosm of what the season can look like. You play real well, and then you don't play as good. We've been playing well — or should I say better. I just want to see us get better."

The Jazz been getting better starting with defense, where they've been suffocating — holding three consecutive opponents under 90. The Suns shot 37 percent from the field, and made 9 of 24 from 3-point range.

It's continued with Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood, who are slowly learning how to play off one another, and providing the Jazz with dynamic scoring from the wing positions. Hood led the way against Phoenix with a game-high 25 points, dropping in 3-pointers from the perimeter, and burning the Suns from midrange.

While Hood was having his way, Hayward scored 14 of his 22 points in the first quarter. He was a game-high plus-17 and added six rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes.

"We talked about it before the game to come out early and play hard and set the tone," Hayward said. "I thought we were good defensively, that was the key. And because of that, we got some good stuff on the offensive end, some easy stuff."

The Jazz never trailed and led by as many as 23 points. Even though the Suns pulled as close as six points late in the fourth quarter, the game was never seriously in doubt for Utah. Led by Earl Watson, Phoenix's interim head coach, the Suns never quit, and defended the Jazz as hard as any team has all season.

But in the end, Phoenix simply did not have the firepower to make it a real game.

"The Jazz are a tough team to come back on when you're down 20," said ex-Jazzman Watson, who is still looking for his first head coaching win. "They do a great job of playing well, playing together. Defensively, they're one of the best teams in the league. But our guys showed character. We competed, but we have to start learning how to win."

Utah — inching slowly up the Western Conference standings — moves to within a half-game of the Houston Rockets for seventh place. And with Houston traveling to the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, there is a decent chance that half-game difference will disappear within the next 48 hours.

All five Jazz starters scored in double-figures. Gobert finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and blocked four shots. Raul Neto scored 13 points and handed out four assists. Favors had 11 points and seven rebounds.

"The key was getting out to a good start," Hood said. "We had a tough game last night, a real tough and physical game. We got stops and we were able to force them into some tough shots. Rudy did a great job of hitting his free-throws when they tried to ice the game."

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Storylines

R The Jazz's sixth win in a row is the longest since a seven-game run in 2010.

• Rudy Gobert set career highs in free throws made and attempts, going 9 of 12.

• It is the latest the Jazz have been at least .500 since the 2011-2012 season, their last in the playoffs.