When the Jazz tipped off in their first game after the All-Star break, the coaches held their collective breath.
     
And with good reason. They had concluded the pre-break portion of the schedule with discouraging defeats to Houston and Memphis, two lottery-bound teams.
     
But early in that game in Indianapolis, they knew the team had used the break well.
     
"We watched them in that first quarter hold the Pacers to 13 points," said assistant coach Gordon Chiesa. "That set the tone for the whole trip."
     
In their last three games, all Jazz wins, they've held opponents to combined 44.4 percent shooting.
     
"Our defense has turned it around," Chiesa said. "The overall intensity has improved."
     
Why?
     
"It was the All-Star break," he said. "The players were able to get rest mentally. They're more rested and now they know there's a light at the end of the tunnel, meaning the end of the season. And, of course, we don't want it to end there."
     
Everywhere the Jazz have gone on their current road trip ? which resumes today against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden ? they've been asked what it's like to play all these away games while the Olympics occupy the Delta Center. The assumption has been that it must be wearing the players out, though they've looked pretty chipper.
     
Karl Malone says the way things have gone the past week, he'd just as soon stay out here.
     
"I think we should tack the other games on and play all of them on the road," he said. "Guys are acting like it's us against the world out here."