The Hawks have three games on the slate for this week, and all will be tough, especially with the spate of injuries of late. When you step back and look at it, it's kind of amazing, really - we had too many point guards on the roster (or point-guard-ish types like Salim Stoudamire and Mario West) to start, and now we don't have enough. How is that possible?

The Jazz are here tonight, owners of nine straight wins against the Hawks. It was just a year ago (almost to the day - last Dec. 20) that the Hawks suffered arguably the most devastating loss of the entire season against Utah, blowing a 21-point lead entering the fourth quarter to lose 112-106. I for one still remember the sickness I felt in my stomach as I walked out of Philips that night. We owe Utah for that one. Owe them.

But it won't be easy tonight. As Bob Bender mentioned in our Breaking Down The Jazz segment today (sorry, no video today - you will have to settle for my melodious voice without my handsome good looks), the Jazz have beaten us in the past because they are very good at dictating tempo and forcing teams to play at their pace and style. To break the streak, the Hawks are going to have to man up and keep the Jazz from knocking them around.

Though the Hawks are shorthanded, the Jazz too will be missing a key player as Mehmet Okur is expected to sit out with a shoulder injury. Okur was particularly destructive last year, hitting several key shots in leading the Jazz comeback. Without him drawing the interior defense outside with his superior perimeter shooting, Atlanta should be able to commit more resources to keeping Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap from hurting them inside. Our backcourt may be short, but at least all our bigs are healthy and ready to rumble.

It's going to be a tough one, no doubt. But the Jazz have lost six of seven, so if there were ever a time to catch them in a lull, this may be it.

Come out tonight to cheer the Hawks on as they try to get back to .500.

See you there!

Links: