It's been no secret this season that Jazz forward Karl Malone is becoming impatient about winning an NBA championship. But Malone doesn't have a corner on desire, said teammate Jay Humphries.

"My position is the same as Karl's. I want to win," Humphries said. "I'm getting older and I don't want to just be known as someone who lasted 10-12 years in this league. I want to win a championship."Malone certainly isn't the only player who has waited years to win the elusive title. Tom Chambers has been in the NBA 13 years and never won a championship. John Stockton has been in the NBA 10 seasons, Humphries 10, Mark Eaton 12.

When Malone made strong statements during All-Star Weekend about wanting to be surrounded by players who could help him win a championship, Jazz President Frank Layden said he'd been "waiting 20 years and I don't have a championship yet."

"Everybody wants to win one," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. "You do't do it by talking. You've got to lay everything out on the floor."

Humphries did a good job of convincing a national television audience on Saturday that he is serious about his championship desires. He led the Jazz with 25 points, making 11 of 16 shots in a 96-84 win over San Antonio. The series continues Tuesday at the Delta Center.

"I've probably been on teams with more talent than this team. But what a lot of people misunderstand is that all the talent in the world doesn't mean you'll win a championship. If we all understand our role, that's what's important," Humphries continued.

Understanding his role hasn't been easy for Humphries. He shifts from point guard to off guard during games. Some nights they expect him to score, others they want him to use his strength to play defense against some of the bigger off guards in the league.

"Basically, I'm here to do everything they need me to do to win," said Humphries. "My job changes more than anybody's on the floor. My role isn't always the same. Sometimes I'm a point guard, sometimes I'm the off guard. What they want me to do depends on the game."

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Humphries played a hefty 34 minutes last Saturday, picking the Jazz up in a second quarter that produced a 12-point victory. "Hehad a huge game for us," said Sloan.

Humphries played backup for Jeff Malone for 11/2 seasons with the Jazz, then started for 18 games when Malone was traded to Philadelphia for Jeff Hornacek and swingman Sean Green (who was later released).

Hornacek started the final nine games of the regular season. But Humphries says he isn't going to demand a starting spot, despite his impressive weekend outing against the Spurs.

"That's not an issue to me. It never has been and never will be. I haven't started, I have started," Humphries continued. "I've played guard, I've played forward, whatever. Again, that's not an issue to me."

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