Tim Buckley of the Deseret News looks at who the Utah Jazz are and if they're better than their 6-9 record shows.

"Good team? Bad team?
     Yes, they are. No, they're not. Yes, they are. No, they're not.
     Or maybe it just depends when you catch them.
     Using the past few days as a microcosm of the 6-9 Jazz's season, it's apparent the team that plays in Phoenix tonight still is uncertain where it falls on the good/bad spectrum.
     Take Utah's 112-88 victory over Seattle on Wednesday.
     Afterward, Jerry Sloan sounded like a coach truly fond of his players ? and honestly optimistic about his club.
     "I'm happy with the people we've got," Sloan said. "There's not one guy we have I don't feel good about as a player."
     Moreover, Sloan added, "there hasn't been a team we can't compete against.""

Larry Miller, Utah's owner, still thinks he's seen enough good stuff out of this 6-9 team that they will still make the playoffs.

"Atlanta was the classic example," Miller says in the report. "When I see that kind of stuff, I worry because I know we've got the kind of guys who can play the kind of basketball we expect them to play.

"But when the whole team collapses like that, then you start asking, 'Has old age finally caught up to us? Is there some kind of cancer on the team nobody can perceive what it is yet?' You ask all those questions."

So, did he have these same thoughts BEFORE Wednesday's huge victory over the Sonics?

The Utah Jazz experimented on Wednesday with their first new starting lineup of the 2001-02 campaign.  The shuffle had Greg Ostertag coming off the bench in place of second-round pick Jarron Collins.

"If that's the situation," Ostertag told the Salt Lake Tribune, "so be it. I'll come off the bench the rest of the year. If that helps us turn it around, so be it."

Wow! Now if Malone would just lighten up a bit when asked about the trade rumors, this could really be something...

The Ogden Standard-Examiner states that while Jarron Collins got the start, Greg Ostertag was helped the most.

"Jarron Collins' promotion to the starting lineup Wednesday night did wonders for Greg Ostertag.

Collins, appearing in just his third NBA game, played a solid 24 minutes and contributed six points and six rebounds.

Ostertag, coming off the bench for the first time all season, played even better.

In 19 minutes he had eight points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots, and he was ready from the start."

Tom McEachin of the Ogden Standard-Examiner writes that the Jazz showed just how good they can be in their win over the Sonics.  Utah's win was due in part to a lineup switch.

McEachin writes:  "The Jazz entered the game with a 5-9 record and coach Jerry Sloan responded by shaking things up, starting rookie Jarron Collins at center in place of Greg Ostertag.

"I thought we"d change things around a little bit," Sloan said. "I don't care who plays, I'd just like to see somebody come and play hard. If you can do that then you have a chance to work out of a tough situation."

That's what the Jazz got on Wednesday as Sloan found strong performances at every turn."

It took a little starting lineup change as well as a little motivation and the Utah Jazz returned to an old form on Wednesday night.

Rookie Jarron Collins filled in at the center spot in front of two veterans and did so nicely in the Utah win.  Five players scored in double-figures and Utah routed the Sonics 112-88.

The article states, "Coach Jerry Sloan shuffled the deck Wednesday night at the Delta Center. The Jazz royally flushed Seattle."

As most know, stories are abound outlining Malone's alleged trade request to a contending team.

According to this report in the Deseret News, it is all old news as this conversation took place last summer.

Karl Malone "asked if [Utah would] consider trading him to a team with a legitimate title shot. [Larry] Miller responded that while he's always wanted Malone to retire in a Jazz uniform, he understood his yearning for a championship and would have a tough time saying 'no.'"

Has anything happened since that time? Nope.

Utah couldn't find anything attractive and that's where it ended.

Tim Buckley of the Deseret News dives in to what Wednesday night's lopsided win really means.  Utah, who hasn't won two games in a row this season, was coming off an overtime loss against Phoenix on Monday.  Utah looked out of shape and too old against Phoenix but they were the complete opposite on Wednesday in a blowout victory.

"I don't know where our team is yet," Stockton said in the column, "or if this tells us anything about who we are ... We've had some terrific minutes in our losses ? but until we can sustain that over a long period of time, both in a game situation and in several games in a row, I think the questions are still there."

HIGHLIGHT: Desmond Mason's third-quarter thunder jam over a host of Jazz players.

LOWLIGHT: Rashard Lewis' one-handed 8-footer over Greg Ostertag that went 5 feet.

OVERDUE: Gary Payton received his first technical foul for arguing this season when official Luis Grillo rung him up 45 seconds into the game. Payton had two technicals previously, but both were for scuffling with opponents. Payton was upset about a bail-out call given to John Stockton.

JUST REVENGE: In the second quarter, Stockton tried one of his famous flops and failed to draw the offensive foul. Payton made him look even sillier, hitting a 20-footer over his fallen foe.

NOT SURPRISED: On the improved inside play of Vin Baker, Sonics coach Nate McMillan said: "The guy has the skills to do that. He can be effective."

TAKE IT TO THE HOOP: Here's why McMillan doesn't want Baker on the perimeter: In the first quarter, he missed a 20-footer, failed to get back on defense and watched as his man, Karl Malone, broke free for an uncontested layin.

NICE PLAY: Payton, on the post, zipped a behind-the-back pass around Stockton to Baker for a second-quarter layin.

JUST WONDERING: In the first quarter, Baker stood still with his arms extended. Going up for his shot, Malone initiated contact, but Baker was called for the foul. "He was straight up!" McMillan barked to Grillo. "What does he have to do?"

TRADE RUMORS: Salt Lake City newspapers were filled yesterday with talk of a deal involving the supposedly disgruntled Malone and the Mavericks. Most of it had more bluster than substance. Boiled down: "Nobody wants a 38-year-old man, do they?"

VOICE FROM THE CROWD: "Underhand!" a fan yelled as Brent Barry took a free throw, wanting him to shoot it like his dad Rick did.

JAZZERCIZE: Donyell Marshall, who leads the NBA in shooting at 60 percent, went 8-for-12 and scored 20 points.

NEXT UP: L.A. Lakers, tomorrow night at 7, KeyArena