Karl Malone Carlos Boozer, where are you, man?

You OK?

Is your back hurt?

Saw you on the court the other day, but, is that you?

Missing 18 shots, 11 from within five feet 10 shots, inside and out?

Making only 10 three?

What's next, Michael Jordan going 9-for-35 against the Heat LeBron James going 9-for-35 against the Wizards?

Key rebounds clanking off your hands?

Being stopped by Charles Barkley's Luis Scola's forearm in your back?

Going to the line once, shooting just two free throws?

Allowing the Chuckster Luis to get inside your head?

Letting the refs' blown calls take you out of your game?

Getting into foul trouble, getting ticked, getting out of sync?

And the game before that, attempting just 14 field goals averaging just 14 shots a game?

Settling for fade-away J's?

Then, fading away?

Is it time yet?

Time for the MVP a preeminent scoring power forward to play like one?

Time for you to step up?

Time for you to get down with your bad self?

Time to shed the I-just-missed-seven-layups-in-Game 4-and-shot-the-ball-like-Mel Counts blues?

Time to lift a team that you carried all season long?

Time to answer the cries for help from a team that needs you, that is desperately calling for you, that cannot win without you?

Time to get down in the low block and go to work, go to the rim?

Again and again and again?

Time to find that rhythm you always talk about?

Time to shoot 55 percent again?

Time to go about your business of delivering?

Has there ever been a better time?

Than the Western Conference finals playoffs?

Against the Houston Rockets?

Against your friend Barkley a shorthanded team you beat last year?

Against the world?

When your point guard is playing like a man, setting screens, bringing the ball up the court, running the offense, dishing, getting beat up and worn down, and having to score and score and score, too?

When Russell and Hornacek and Ostertag Kirilenko and Korver and Okur can't do it?

When Carr and Anderson and Eisley and Foster Millsap and Brewer and Harpring and Price are pitching in but maxing themselves out?

When NBC's TNT's cameras are focused dead-center on you, focused to show a basketball nation that you are not only a future hall-of-famer, a former Dream Teamer, the best power forward of all time, this year's MVP, an All-Star, an Olympic Team hopeful, one of the best power forward's in the game, but also a champion?

Will it happen?

Can you make it happen?

Take your team to the NBA finals?

Match your regular-season productivity in the postseason?

Win a title?

Earn a shot at a ring?

Justify your most-valuable All-Star status?

With its pressures hanging thick as a thundercloud around your every move?

Can you do it in the crunch?

Bring it home Malone? And not lose, Booze?

Muffle the critics, all of them, who do not believe?

Be yourself when that is all your teammates need: 27.4 points, 10 rebounds, 4.5 assists? 21.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists?

Will Eddie Johnson Rafer Alston spoil your best run in 12 five seasons?

Snuff out another chance?

The last best chance?

Is that your destiny?

Your legacy?

Four losses in the Western Conference finals first round?

Or is there something else?

Something left?

For the Mailman Booooooooozer?

For 1996-97 MVP the Jazz's only 2007-08 All-Star?

For Karl Malone Carlos Boozer?

And your Utah Jazz?

GORDON MONSON hosts "The Big Show" weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on 1280 AM The Zone. He can be reached at gmonson@sltrib.com.