The good news is he has to think back years, and not weeks, in forming that list.

"There were so many games where we'd be in it with two or three minutes, we'd be right there and then we'd have one or two bad plays and we'd lose it," Harpring said. "There were a lot of games we should have and could have won. Add 10 wins and it could be a season. It could mean you're going to the playoffs or getting homecourt advantage. But that is the NBA. The good thing is, this year, we're getting it done and our record definitely shows."

The Jazz have won 32 games in a row when leading going into the fourth quarter, the longest streak in the league.

Proof that this Jazz team can finish what it starts and closes out opponents unlike previous incarnations came in games against Milwaukee and Seattle. In Milwaukee on Nov. 11, the Jazz squandered a 24-point lead and needed a layup from Harpring with 1.9 seconds left to win 113-111. Saturday, they needed a three-pointer by Mehmet Okur with 1.6 seconds left to beat Seattle 109-107 after leading by 14 points.

What matters most to Utah coach Jerry Sloan isn't that his team squandered big leads, but found ways to win.

"We couldn't close teams out in seasons when we won 60 games a lot of times," he said. "We'd let teams back in the game, but we could finish them when we went through that stage. We'd kind of relax and blow a lead, but we had guys who could finish."

Earlier this year, the Jazz went through a stretch in which they would trail early, then rely on big a second half to overcome the deficit. It wasn't the preferred way to start games, but at least along the way they've learned to deny their opponents similar comebacks.

They've also done a better job of avoiding the slow starts that were starting to have the effect of a new Christmas toy. At first they were amusing, then they got annoying.

"There aren't any asterisks or parentheses to say we lost by 20 or we won by 20, they are all just wins and losses," Derek Fisher said. "Obviously, playing games that way can take its toll, but we deserve some credit, because we've been able to beat some pretty good teams."

Part of Utah's success can be attributed to experience, particularly in the case of Deron Williams. The second-year point guard is averaging 16.5 points and 8.9 assists, up from 10.8 points and 4.5 assists from his rookie year. He showed his veteran composure against Seattle when Sloan gave him the green light to push at the end and he drove, sucking the defense in, and kicked the ball back out to Okur for his game winner.

Another key has been the bench, which is outscoring opponents 35.5-25.2 and allowing Sloan to use a variety of bodies. Last year, the coach would look down the bench and wonder who he could put in the game. This year, he picks who he wants to sub in.

"We've been fortunate so far because we've gotten a lot of great play from a lot of different guys," Fisher said. "Bench production is a key to success in putting teams away and we've got guys like Harpring and [Paul] Millsap coming off the bench. We can finish games."

lwodraska@sltrib.com

JAZZ: Team has knack for finishing strongJazz at Timberwolves

FRIDAY, 6 p.m., KJZZ

* A Jazz victory would give coach Jerry Sloan his 1,000th career win.