Are some of the Jazz's key recent problems fixable? Yes. Can Utah compete with anyone in the NBA when it plays the game the right way? Yes. Do the Jazz have deep-rooted flaws and an unnerving tendency to stray away from everything that makes them good? Yes.

During a stretch that's seen Utah lose seven of nine and 10 of 15, the Jazz have been plagued by many of the same problems that undermined the 2010-11 version of the team. Everything from overall effort to offensive/defensive execution has been inconsistent, and Utah's spent the majority of its last two games performing like it has no interest in making the playoffs or even producing a winning season. When the Jazz play like they did against New Orleans and Oklahoma City, it becomes hard to take seriously any team-made proclamations about returning to the postseason or winning seven of seven before the All-Star break. Utah's a tough, gutsy, top-eight squad in the Western Conference when it competes. When the Jazz don't, the game gets ugly.

Jazz search for answers after 111-85 blowout by Thunder

Tyrone Corbin plans to make time for Alec Burks

Raja Bell's "We do dumb [crap]" in-game comment to Earl Watson took the cake Tuesday. But he had at least two other moments where his frustration boiled over. When walking by a Jazz broadcaster, a fiery Bell complained about "[freaking] screens." Then he yelled out "[Freak]!" and slammed his hand down on the scorer's table after Utah allowed a blow by.

Bell on the Jazz's problems: … We don't execute. I don't know. We're not setting screens. Against a team like that that's good defensively and they've got their hands all over you and are trying to take you out of your sets, that's when you've got to be more dedicated to running it precisely if we're going to run that kind of system. And we are going to run that kind of system — that's what we run. So then we've got to be able to run it effectively. We missed shots. But there were just plenty of possessions where we chose not to run it effectively and you can't win like that.

Playing bad ball at the same time other teams are clicking: I don't know that we know who we are as a team. We won some games early. But I tried to tell everybody I could that you had to take that with a grain of salt. A lot of teams played without their best players — a lot of teams. … I hope that we didn't get too bigheaded and think that we're supposed to beat every team just because we're better than them. It seems like, to me, that we might've done that a bit. And if we're — listen: We have to execute. We have to screen. We have to make the right basketball play. When we're not doing that, we are just simply not good enough to beat a lot of good teams. But when we do that, we are.

Lack of effort and intensity: Yeah. Look, man. I can't speak for anyone [else's effort]. I can't. I just can't. That's not my place. I don't know if one person thinks they're giving more effort than they are or they're not. I don't know. But I come out to play hard every game and I don't know any other way to do it. But if that's what you guys are seeing, then maybe there's something to that.

The Jazz's locker room was fairly loose and felt normal before the game. After the blowout, several key players openly discussed the team's flaws, and a few athletes watched and listened while nearby teammates gave interviews.

C.J. Miles discussed postgame Utah's "slumped shoulders." Some players showed the worst body language seen all season.

Gordon Hayward recorded zero points on 0-of-6 shooting.

Second-year forward Derrick Favors (13 points) and Burks (10 points) recorded more points than starters Hayward and Devin Harris (six) combined.

Josh Howard still hasn't found his mark after returning from a left quad injury. He was 3 of 10 for six points and continued to fade in and out of the second unit.

Little-used reserves Jeremy Evans and Jamaal Tinsley combined for 13:23 and came in the game during the fourth quarter while all five of the Jazz's starters stayed on the bench.

Favors, Burks and Enes Kanter played well together for the second consecutive game.

Jefferson scored 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting during the first quarter. But he was just 2 of 9 for five points during the second and third, becoming frustrated with everything from non-calls by referees to missed shots and the Thunder's interior defense.

Bell (10 points, 3 of 6) continued to shoot well. He's in his best groove since joining Utah last season as a free agent, and has hit 12 of his last 21 3-pointers.

The Jazz still aren't a threat from outside, though. Utah connected on only 23.1 percent (3 of 13) of its 3s against the Thunder.

OKC's 26-point blowout could've been worse. The Thunder shot just 64.7 percent from the foul line and failed to convert multiple fast-break and close-range opportunities.

The Thunder outscored Utah 60-42 in the paint, won the rebounding battle (49-42) and recorded 17 fast-break points to the Jazz's four.

OKC maintained its NBA-best record and only had to play Russell Westbrook 23:24.

Huge night by Serge Ibaka (16 points, 10 rebounds, six blocks).

The Jazz play Washington at home Friday, so Utah should get a breather. The suddenly streaking Wizards have won two consecutive games on the road, though, and the Jazz's letdown in New Orleans erased any notion about a gimme for the remainder of the season. Utah will then play at Houston, against San Antonio and at Minnesota before the All-Star break. Out of all the questions the Jazz face, here's the most immediate: Will Utah have a winning record when it restarts its season Feb. 28 at Sacramento?

Radio: Scheduled to appear on 97.5 FM/1280 AM The Zone at 8:55 a.m. MT Wednesday to discuss all things Jazz.

Brian T. Smith

Twitter: @tribjazz