If they haven't been the best team in basketball for the past month, the Jazz at least have been close to it. Since they went into Dallas on Jan. 9 and won 111-93 in the second game of a back-to-back set, the Jazz have lost just once in their past 12 games.

The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers can't say as much, having dropped four games in that same span, including losses to Cleveland, Toronto and Memphis as part of their recently completed eight-game trip.

Neither can the Denver Nuggets, the Western Conference's No. 2 team, who have lost three games -- at Sacramento and Oklahoma City as well as home against Phoenix -- and continue to play without Carmelo Anthony.

Only the Cleveland Cavaliers have enjoyed a similar run of success, going 12-1 since Jan. 9. Of course, that one loss won't soon be forgotten, coming Jan. 14 in Utah on Sundiata Gaines' buzzer-beating three-pointer.

The Jazz have won seven games in a row -- bringing back memories of last season's 12-game winning streak that stretched from Feb. 11 to March 10 -- as well as nine consecutive games at EnergySolutions Arena.

They have won in all variety of ways as well, notching road victories in Dallas, San Antonio and Portland, no small feat for a team that still is just 9-12 away from home and was 15-26 on the road last season.

"We've had some tough games, we're just playing good right now and it's fun basketball," Deron Williams said.

They celebrated the miracle finish against Cleveland and demolished Milwaukee and New Jersey. They came back from 17 points down late in the third quarter against Phoenix. Eight of their 11 victories have come against teams that entered Thursday in playoff position.

The Jazz have been an offensive marvel during this 11-1 stretch, scoring 110.3 points a game while shooting 53.1 percent and averaging 27.6 assists. They shot better than 70 percent in the second half of Wednesday's victory over Portland.

With three games remaining, the Jazz have the chance to take a 10-game winning streak into the All-Star break if they can beat Denver, the Clippers and the Lakers. Their average margin of victory during their current seven-game run has been 13.1 points a game.

Andrei Kirilenko has been a catalyst for the Jazz in 11 games since replacing C.J. Miles in the starting lineup. Some games Kirilenko has been a scorer, some a shooter, some a passer, some a defender and some a combination of many things.

But Kirilenko has averaged 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists during this stretch as a starter while shooting 64.7 percent. He finished with 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds while going 8-for-9 in Wednesday's victory.

Williams, meanwhile, hasn't been needed to carry the Jazz as much as in the past. There have been no 30-point, 10-assist games. Williams hasn't scored more than 24 points in any game during the current run and had six points through three quarters Wednesday.

"I'd rather do this," Williams said. "I'm not a guy who goes out there and cares about if I get my numbers or not. As long as we win, I'm happy. Right now, guys are making plays. I don't have to be as aggressive. I feel like I know when I can and have to be aggressive.

"I think early on, I was trying to do too much and guys weren't getting involved. So now everybody's got that confidence and we're having fun."

Paul Millsap has more than filled in while Carlos Boozer has missed three games with a strained calf and rookie Wesley Matthews continues to make key contributions off the bench, playing 58 minutes combined in the past two games.

The Jazz also have taken advantage of a favorable schedule, one that has included three off days (including Thursday) in the past eight days. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan knows what awaits after the All-Star break, when the Jazz finish with 19 of 31 games on the road.

"If you look at the schedule, though, we've had days off, guys had a chance to recover, their energy level is high -- or should be -- and they've tried to prepare themselves to play," Sloan said.

rsiler@sltrib.com