Having watched the Jazz now play all of two games, losing to the Nuggets in the season opener on the road and beating the Clippers, 111-98, at home Friday night, one thing is clear:

They haven't changed.

Yeah, it's one of those observations that makes you go "duh."

Of course they're the same, they made no moves in the offseason, they bolstered their defense not one iota, they have the same players and coaches, the same strengths and weaknesses, the same schemes and tendencies.

How did anybody expect anything different?

Well, because Jazz fans are a bunch of dumbcraps.

Wait a minute. No, they're not.

The Jazz tried to sell customers on the idea that, after they sat on their hands all summer, pulling off not a single significant deal, the combination of better health and another year of aging with the identical crew that lost games on the road, won at home, and got booted in the first round of the playoffs last season would somehow transform itself this year.

Fans met that notion with skepticism that was evident Friday night at EnergySolutions Arena. The building wasn't full, even though the club claimed a sellout, knocking ticket prices in half for some seats, giving away free hot dogs, and bringing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to sing the national anthem.

Three other unusual things transpired before the home opener: 1) The Jazz had Polynesian dancers do a routine on the court that looked a lot like the haka; 2) Greg Miller gave fans a pep talk that sounded a lot like a threat, uttering something about the club never leaving this market as long as support was strong; and 3) Members of Jazz management greeted fans as they arrived at doors around ESA, making, no doubt, for some interesting virtual conversations.

"Hey, how are ya?"

"Why is Boozer still here?"

"Hey, how are ya?"

"Where's the shot-blocker we need?"

"Hey, how are ya?"

"Is Kevin O'Connor incapable of making any kind of big trade?"

"Hey, how are ya?"

"What would Larry have done?"

As they pulled the curtain up at home Friday night, and as one of the NBA's dog teams came in to get beat, it became apparent that the Jazz are going to be good this season. Although they struggled at times against the Clippers, the Jazz trailing after three quarters, 84-83, they are going to win some 50 games, taking advantage of the regular slate of mediocre teams around the league.

But they will not be great against the great ones.

They weren't even great Friday night and they weren't great Wednesday night against the Nuggets. Still, they finished strong and pulled away in the fourth quarter against the Clippers, getting hefty contributions from Paul Millsap, who got 23 points and nine boards, Ronnie Brewer (17 points) and even Kyrylo Fesenko, who scored 10 points in Mehmet Okur's absence.

"Playing at home gives us confidence," Millsap said.

Same as it ever was.

There will be no breakthrough this season, no surprising title run. Little has changed in that regard, just the way the Jazz roster hasn't changed.

Noted smart guy Albert Einstein once defined insanity thusly: "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

The Jazz might edge up a bit or edge down. But, ultimately, they will fall into the same old range as the past two years. Expecting anything but that would be ...

Crazy to think, but the one thing the Jazz might be able to alter about themselves is how soft they play. Doubtful, but possible. Maybe Jerry Sloan can stir some Bad Boy in his little band. Maybe Fesenko can locate his inner Bill Laimbeer. Maybe Millsap can channel Rick Mahorn. Maybe they can find some nasty.

"We could go out and do that," Millsap said. "Hopefully, more of that will come."

Already, the Jazz foul a lot. They typically finish near the top of the league in that category, and against the Clippers, they committed 25 fouls. If they hit opponents, and really popped them, sending an unrighteous message to teams not to expect easy points, perhaps that would change outcomes. The irony here is that's exactly the type of player Sloan was.

If they could only stand back up with some toughness and physicality and fight, beyond beating teams like the Clippers at home, maybe they could make a slight dent in a too-familiar form bound for more of the same over the season to come.

GORDON MONSON hosts the "Monson and Graham Show" weekdays from 2-6 p.m. on 1280 AM The Zone. He can be reached at gmonson@sltrib.com .