This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Joe Ingles doesn't do much of anything right now if it doesn't include a basketball, a court, or a jersey that has the words Utah Jazz on the front of it.

Welcome to the dog days of the regular season, where Ingles and many NBA players are trying to conserve energy, not spend it.

The dog days typically come around in February. The novelty of the beginning of the season has long worn off. The holidays are in the rear-view mirror, and the All-Star break is on the horizon. Concentrating on the task at hand can be difficult at this time of the season, which continues Saturday when the Jazz play host to the Charlotte Hornets.

"It's definitely a bit of a grind at this time of the year," Ingles said. "But we all know that we have to go out there, and do what you have to do. We have to play well and finish this stretch, knowing that we have the break coming up."

There is more on the line as the break comes up than in the recent past for the Jazz. After being out of the playoff hunt at the season's midpoint two years ago, and on the periphery of contention last season, the Jazz will head into this All-Star break firmly in the middle of the Western Conference playoff standings, with the third-place Houston Rockets not too far ahead in the distance, sitting 3.5 games ahead of Utah and the Los Angeles Clippers.

"It's just about being a professional about it," Jazz forward Gordon Hayward said. "I learned that from some of the veterans I played with when I was younger. We have to push through this phase of the race, and do whatever we can to find the energy at this time of year. It's part of the job, so we have to do whatever we can to turn the switch on."

How the Jazz keep the fire lit varies from player to player.

Ingles doesn't do as much in his workouts, in an effort to save his legs. In contrast, Joe Johnson says he keeps his routine much the same, citing the importance of continuity. The Jazz also believe a roster that is now sprinkled with veterans will help as they push toward All-Star week.

"For a lack of a better phrase, you just have to keep grinding," Utah coach Quin Snyder said. "This is the time of the year. It's late January or early February and the weather is metaphoric for this time of the season. The All-Star break is coming, and sometimes you look forward to something. It's not an unusual challenge, but it's something that I'm certainly aware of."

After a recent tough stretch in which the Jazz played six games in nine nights, Utah got a bit of a break in the schedule. Saturday's game is only the second of the week for the Jazz, providing a chance to rest. However, the Jazz play three games in four nights on the road next week

"You have to keep your routine going until the break," Johnson said. "You have to come in, day in and day out, and take care of business."

Twitter: @tribjazz —

Jazz update

• The Jazz last season went into the All-Star break on a 7-1 run, including Gordon Hayward's buzzer-beater to win at Dallas in overtime.

• The Jazz face Boston, the L.A. Clippers and Portland in their last three games before this year's break, which is Feb. 17-19. The Jazz are a combined 0-3 this season against those teams.

• Utah is tied for the fourth spot in the Western Conference with the Clippers, and four games behind the Houston Rockets for the third spot.

Hornets at Jazz

P Saturday, 7 p.m.

TV • ROOT