After tonight's game at Portland and starting Tuesday against Indiana, Utah plays eight of its next 11 at home, where the Jazz are 12-3 this season and win by an average of 14.6 points. Between Jan. 6 and Jan. 31, Utah plays only three games on the road, where the Jazz are 6-13 and have lost to struggling opponents like New York, Miami, Charlotte and Sacramento.

Utah's disappointing road record is the reason that, if the Western Conference playoffs started today, the Jazz would not qualify. They are third in the Northwest Division and ninth in the West, although the upcoming schedule gives them a chance to do something about it.

"I have mentioned to our players that we need to get back in this race some way, somehow," coach Jerry Sloan said. "This schedule of ours has been a little difficult, with all the road games and back-to-back games. But you have to fight through that and we have an opportunity to do that."

The Jazz played 19 road games in the first 54 nights of the season. They play their final 22 road games over the final 112 nights.

"We've played - obviously - a little better at home," Sloan said. "We have to try to continue that if we want to be involved in this race or just be a run-of-the-mill team."

During the first two months of the season, the Jazz played 10 sets of back-to-back games. During the final four months, they'll play only 10 more back-to-backers.

"With the number of back-to-back games we've had and the amount of road trips we've had, it has been difficult," said Jazz veteran Jarron Collins.

"This is a business where you can't make excuses but, having said that, it was a difficult schedule.

"There was a lot of travel. We spent a lot of time on the East Coast. We would be on the road, come home for one game and go back on the road again. So it was tough. But again, there are no excuses."

In the next four weeks, only four of the Jazz's 11 opponents are currently over .500. They play three of them - Phoenix, Orlando and San Antonio - at home, where Utah has already blasted top-caliber opponents Golden State (133-110), New Orleans (99-71), the L.A. Lakers (120-96) and Dallas (99-90).

"I try to look at day-to-day things," Sloan said. "But I am aware of the fact that, when we're at home, our guys' energy level is better. That doesn't guarantee you anything. We haven't won all out home games, obviously. But that's how we have played."

While Sloan might not pay attention to long-range schedules or playoff positioning - at least in January - his players apparently do.

"Absolutely," said Collins. "And looking at it, we know that right now we have a chance. The way the season has gone, we're not where we want to be. Expectations going into the season were very high and, right now, we're not in the playoffs. That needs to be corrected - immediately."

After a 12-5 start, the Jazz lost 11 of their next 15 games and dropped into third place in the Northwest Division behind Denver and Portland.

The Nuggets and Blazers took advantage of their December schedules to surge past the Jazz.

Denver played eight of its 13 games at home. The Nuggets' longest road trip was a two-game journey to Portland and Sacramento.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers played 10 of their 15 games at the Rose Garden, and they endured only three sets of back-to-back games.

This week, Utah rebounded with home wins over Portland (111-101) and Philadelphia (110-107) to move two games over .500. But it's conceivable that 46 wins might not be enough to qualify for the playoffs in the West, so the Jazz realize the upcoming stretch is vital.

"We have an excellent opportunity now to correct this situation - to improve our record - because the majority of our games coming up are at home," Collins said. "We look forward to playing in front of our fans, feeding off their energy and putting our best effort out there."

Jazz at Portland

Today, 8 p.m., KJZZ, NBATV

Where: The Rose Garden

Tipoff: Today, 8 p.m.

TV: KJZZ

Radio: 1320 AM, 98.7 FM

Records: Jazz 18-16, Portland 20-13

Season series: Portland leads, 2-1

Last meeting: Jazz, 111-101 (Dec. 31)

Line: Blazers by 3 1/2

About the Jazz: They have won two straight but are 1-9 in their last 10 on the road. . . . They haven't put together a three-game winning streak since Nov. 28-Dec. 3.

About the Blazers: They are 15-1, going back to Dec. 3. . . . They are 12-3 in games decided by eight points or less. . . . Seven different Blazers have scored in double figures against the Jazz this season.