The season was only five days old, but it already seemed over for the Jazz.
   
Three decisive losses in the season's first four games, capped by an awful, noncompetitive blowout in Seattle, left the Jazz looking old, confused and headed off a cliff. The collapse of the franchise and the end of its 19-year playoff streak, long predicted by the team's critics, appeared to have arrived. It was hard to miss the apparent symbolism that night in KeyArena of the only scoreless game in Karl Malone's Hall of Fame career.
   
And perhaps it really was symbolic. Malone's malady was a temporary bug, and so was the Jazz's. As the season's second half opens tonight against San Antonio, Utah's only major-league franchise looks healthier than it has since its NBA Finals peak five years ago.
   
"We're having fun, a lot of fun," said forward Matt Harpring, perhaps the most important reason for the Jazz's better-late-than-never resurgence. "And we can get better."