"Nobody cares what we did here,'' Sloan said. "That's just the way it is. And we probably aren't respected as much because we haven't won as much on the road as you'd think we should, when you compare our home record and road record. That's something we have to overcome."

In what has been the theme of their season, the Jazz will try for the umpteenth time to carry over their success at home to the road against Denver. The Jazz are 16-3 at home - where all six of their recent wins have come - but only 6-14 on the road. Sloan didn't even want to speculate after Monday's victory over Milwaukee about the Jazz's momentum heading into their first game against Denver this season.

"I don't know what our motivation is on the road or what it has been,'' Sloan said. "It hasn't been what we'd like for it to be because we don't defend as well as we've got to and we've got to do a better job of executing our offense and not just taking shots."

Carlos Boozer talked Tuesday about the opportunity for the Jazz to gain a full game on Denver in the standings and take a step toward their goal of repeating as division champions.

"We're trying to catch back up to where we would like to be at in our division and in the playoff hunt in general,'' Boozer said.

The Nuggets fell at Atlanta on Tuesday night, 104-93, leaving the Jazz one game behind them in the standings.

Spring dreams

Forward Kyle Korver was part of the playoffs only once during his four-plus seasons in Philadelphia and the experience ended almost as quickly as it began. The Sixers were eliminated by defending champion Detroit in five games in the 2005 first round.

"I remember watching these guys in the playoffs last year,'' Korver said of the Jazz, "and you see the atmosphere . . . that is obviously motivating for me."

Briefly

Guard Ronnie Price tested his sprained left ankle in practice Tuesday. Price has missed four games with the injury and is day-to-day.