Against most teams, the Jazz are big enough.
 
Against the best teams, they don't measure up.
 
Because of the seasonlong inconsistency of 7-foot-2 Greg Ostertag and 270-pound John Amaechi -- their two most experienced centers -- the Jazz haven't had enough size to handle the top five teams in the Western Conference.
 
Coach Jerry Sloan hasn't been able to keep Ostertag or Amaechi on the floor for long stretches, meaning forwards Karl Malone, Donyell Marshall and Scott Padgett are often asked to guard much bigger opponents.
 
Hello, Shaq.
 
The Jazz, 1-12 against the best in the West this season, try again tonight (6 p.m., KJZZ) against Shaquille O'Neal and the Lakers at the Delta Center.
 
Jarron Collins will start at center for the Jazz and get the first chance to obstruct O'Neal. But even against opponents far less accomplished than O'Neal, Collins often gets into foul trouble.
 
"Jarron plays intelligent basketball," Sloan said. "But he is inexperienced in there, and a rookie is not going to get many calls. It's been a tough situation for him."
 
If Collins fouls early and often against the Lakers, the Jazz will need Ostertag and/or Amaechi to give them some extended minutes.
 
"We're going to need some help from our big people to compete against [the Lakers]," Sloan said. "If we have to go with a smaller lineup, it's pretty tough to play Shaq."
 
According to Sloan, the Jazz's inability to match up inside against the top teams in the conference -- especially the Lakers with O'Neal, the Kings with Chris Webber and Vlade Divac, the Spurs with Tim Duncan and David Robinson and the Timberwolves with Kevin Garnett -- has been a huge factor.