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With Saturday night's 105-98 win over the Denver Nuggets, the Utah Jazz improved their overall record to 12-9. With that, the Jazz have completed a hair over 25 percent of their schedule, which conventional wisdom suggests should be enough time to accurately gauge what kind of team they are and will be.

But heading into Monday night's matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center, Quin Snyder and company are faced with a harsh truth: The Jazz don't know nearly as much about themselves as they would like.

They have the 11th-best record in the NBA, and are in seventh place in the Western Conference. But their net rating (6.6) ranks them fourth overall, suggesting the potential for more. Because Utah has incurred so many injuries, the Jazz lead the league in differing starting lineups.

And because of that, Snyder and his team have a bit of an identity issue.

"I think we know what we do when we play well," Jazz forward Gordon Hayward said. "We're active defensively. We get deflections, we turn people over. Unfortunately, we're still trying to get healthy. But the positive for us is that we've survived this storm and found ways to win games without some of the top guys, and we're proud of that. We're looking forward to the next 61 games and trying to get some guys back."

Through the first 21 games, Hayward, George Hill and Rudy Gobert have clearly emerged as the three best and most important players, with Hayward playing at an All-Star level. Hill and Gobert haven't been far behind, with all three having individual moments of dominant play.

Utah has enjoyed two four-game winning streaks, and a four-game losing streak. The Jazz have played nine games where they've missed multiple starters, and sixth man Alec Burks has yet to play this season.

Despite the adversity, the Jazz are firmly on path to qualify for their first postseason berth since 2012, a milestone for Hayward, Burks and Derrick Favors, each of whom have been with the organization through the good year and some very lean years.

Still, Utah has been a dominant team when relatively healthy, which has led to some frustration. The growing sense is that this team is better than just making the playoffs. Indeed, the Jazz are unbeaten when Hayward and Hill are in the starting lineup together. But numbers are from a small sample size — the combo has played five games together. The Jazz realize there's little way of knowing how good they are for sure, unless they can get healthy and stay healthy.

"It's definitely been tough with all of the different lineups," Utah shooting guard Rodney Hood said. "But we've been playing hard and we've been playing together and that's the biggest thing. Regardless of who's out there, we've found ways to win and to be successful. We've had a next-man-up mentality, and we've figured out how to stay competitive. So that's been a good thing."

Snyder wants his team to start games better and to defend better in the fourth quarter. He also said he wanted to focus on playing well once his team gets a little healthier.

Hill has missed two consecutive games with a sprained toe, and could miss a third straight game on Monday night against the Lakers. Favors has been hampered by a sore knee and bone contusion for the majority of the season. However, he and Burks are making a bit of progress, and are back onto the floor shooting with coaches and other light workouts.

In the meantime, the Jazz have tried to remain one of the better defensive teams in the NBA. It's the part of the game that's a constant, and one that can remain good no matter the personnel.

"I think defensively is where we have to hang our hat," Jazz forward Joe Ingles said. "I think we've had the same focus the last couple of years. We have the depth to do it. We've had some ups and downs so far. But consistently this year, I think that's where we've been very good."

tjones@sltrib.com twitter: @tribjazz —

Utah Jazz at L.A. Lakers

P Monday, 8:30 p.m. MST

Where • Staples Center, Los Angeles

TV • ROOT Sports

Radio • 1280 AM/97.5 FM

Records • Utah 12-9, Los Angeles 10-12

Last meeting • Utah 96-89 (October 28)

About the Jazz • George Hill has missed two games with a sprained toe. … Dante Exum has scored 10 or more points eight times this season. … Gordon Hayward has scored at least 30 points in three straight games, the longest such streak of his career. … The Jazz have won five of their last six games

About the Lakers • Los Angeles is 3-7 in its last 10 games. … Lou Williams scored 40 points in his last outing, against the Memphis Grizzlies. … Per ESPN.com, the Lakers haven't been at the .500 mark through 22 games since the 2011-2012 season. … The Lakers are expected to be without guards D'Angelo Russell and Nick Young, whom are both out with injuries