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Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Step up or get beat down!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SALT LAKE CITY - There needs to be a sign above the door to the Energy Solutions Center (formerly known as the Delta Center during the Karl Malone-John Stockton era) that says simply, “Tip toe through these doors and you’ll end up on your backside.” - Hey, this is still a family friendly operation. I’m not going to press my luck.
But that message should be loud and clear for the Hawks, who thankfully don’t have to come back here for another year. Maybe by then they’ll have hit the weights long enough to gather the toughness needed to deal with a physical outfit like the Jazz.
Monday’s game wasn’t close after the first five minutes. It was clear what was going to take place - Rafael Araujo’s nose job on Marvin Williams was just a bonus for all you UFC fans out there.
But it’ll take more than moments of spirited action to compete at a high level. It takes discipline and a grit the Hawks, collectively, don’t currently have in large supply.
Now I realize that they were playing on the second half of a back-to-back, and that’s always a chore. But they didn’t last long trying to spar with the Jazz, a team no one in the Western Conference is going to want to mess with come late April.
Nit-pick the stat sheet if you want (52-32 on the rebounds and 24-10 on the assists says everything you need to know about what went on). But make no mistake about it, the Jazz won with their toughness first and foremost. And they’ll do it every night if you don’t stand up to them.
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