Sometimes it only requires a little tweak to figure out what throws everything out of whack. In the case of the Utah Jazz, it’s almost as if coach Jerry Sloan marched them en masse to a chiropractor for a visit.

Moments later, general manager Kevin O’Connor paid the bill … problem solved.

You see, nobody could have thought the back-page trade of Gordan Giricek and a No. 1 draft pick to Philadelphia for Kyle Korver could be so significant to turning the Jazz around. In fact, tossing in the draft choice seemed a bit much for a pretty one-dimensional shooter like Korver.

But sometimes we forget when assessing deals that occasionally it is every bit as much about the subtraction as it is the addition, and sometimes more. The result has been a 12-2 run since the deal, a six-game winning streak overall and 10 in a row at home after Wednesday’s win over the Knicks. Consequently, they’re now alone atop the Northwest Division.

That wouldn’t have surprised anybody coming into the season, but nobody could have anticipated the circuitous route it would require.

With a young team coming off a trip to the Western Conference finals, a Northwest Division title and a 51-win season, expectations were high for the Jazz coming into this season. With an All-Star-caliber duo of point guard Deron Williams and power forward Carlos Boozer – eminently capable of double-doubles on a nightly basis – they constantly drew comparisons to John Stockton and Karl Malone, plus they had all the pieces around them to be a serious contender in the stout West.

And they were seemingly fine, beginning the season at 7-2, with second-year guard Ronnie Brewer inserted into the starting lineup and All-Star-caliber stat-filler Andrei Kirilenko apparently over the psychological issues that weighed him down a good portion of last season. Oh, sweet-shooting center Mehmet Okur was nicked up a bit, but that seemed to be only a temporary hurdle. He’d be back, grabbing rebounds and draining treys. That’s not to mention the rugged duo of Matt Harpring and Paul Millsap giving opponents whiplash off the bench.

They certainly missed guard Derek Fisher, who was sympathetically let out of his contract by owner Larry Miller so he could move to Los Angeles where his infant daughter’s cancer could be treated. Not only as a terrific player, but as a leader, Fisher left a hole. But Sloan figured moving Brewer into the starting lineup and bringing Giricek off the bench would help their depth – plus relatively young journeymen Jason Hart and Ronnie Price could be developed in the backcourt as well.

But none of it struck Giricek very well. He viewed himself as a starter, or at least deserving of major minutes. Sloan, in his inimitable way, viewed him as someone who needed to earn his minutes and contribute or he wouldn’t play at all. And anyone who has been around the NBA understands it’s easier to fool with Mother Nature than Jerry Sloan.

The problem began to rip away at the team internally, affecting the chemistry on the floor and the general attitude in the locker room. After a solid start, they lost 14 of their next 23 games, falling to 16-16 – including a stunning 3-11 decline. With the Nuggets inconsistent with injuries but solid enough to win with explosive scoring, and the Trail Blazers one of the great stories of the season with a sensational run, the Jazz had fallen off the map into third place.

So they shipped out Giricek, presumably with Sloan heaving his bag at him out the door. On came Korver. Suddenly, the air was cleared. Giricek had been averaging less than 4.0 points a game and twice as many headaches. Korver’s hustle and superior shooting eased the pain. He’s averaged 9.9 points, dives after loose balls and at least tries to defend with the intensity demanded by Sloan. Meanwhile, Giricek is producing even less for the Sixers and is mulling over offers to play in Europe.

Okur is now back and healthy, Williams has had five consecutive double-double games – averaging 19.1 points and 9.5 assists while improving his shooting to .515 from field. Boozer is in All-Star form at 22.4 points and 10.6 rebounds, Kirilenko remains a fantasy player’s dream boxscore-stuffer in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, while Brewer continues to raise his level of play just as they imagined when drafted him in the first round out of Arkansas in 2006.

The result is they’ve won 12 of 14 overall and posted the longest home winning streak in nine years, showing the kind of confidence that pushed them into the 2007 conference finals in the first place. It would take hours to decipher whether it’s because of what Korver brings to the table as opposed to Giricek, or just a matter of addition by subtraction.

But from the Jazz point of view, who cares? It worked.