Can the Atlanta Hawks stop their months-long skid in Salt Lake City against the Utah Jazz (9:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, ROOT Sports Rocky Mountain), a club that needed a strong second half just to beat the lowly Philadelphia 76ers and end their own five-game road-trip losing streak? A lot will depend on how focused a pair of former Jazzmen are on the court.

Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll are still well-lauded for their tenures in SLC. Drafted in the second round by Utah in 2006, Millsap participated in five playoff years with the Jazz and resides among the franchise’s top-ten in rebounds, steals, blocks, and field-goal percentage. Carroll came of age last season to become a fan favorite.

While they’ll both receive pregame cheers and accolades from the appreciative Delta Center crows, both Hawks will be needed to pile up the points against a Utah team that ranks at the bottom of the league in scoring (94.5 PPG, 28^th in NBA) and defensive efficiency (107.7 opponent points per 100 possessions, worst in NBA, 12.0 opponent turnovers per game, 2^nd fewest in NBA).

The low-pressure Jazz defense seems ready-made for Mike Budenholzer’s ball-movement-or-bust offense. After getting worn down the entire road trip against Rajon Rondo, Goran Dragic, Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry, and Chris Paul, and after falling short at against the Clippers in the clutch, Jeff Teague will need to end his trip on a high note by corraling Rookie of the Year candidate Trey Burke.

Burke does a sound job controlling the ball for a first-year lead guard (5.4 APG, 1.8 TO/G), but struggles to make any measurable impact defensively or make anything other than layups on the other end (34.4 FG% on jumpers; 16-for-51 shooting in March).

There’s an ex-Hawk player in Utah that has something to prove as well. And that’s not ducking our old pal Marvin Williams, who seems to have found a home as a glue-guy D-and-3 veteran despite a broken jumpshot lately (29.8 FG% last 7 games).

Ever since the legendary Jerry Sloan called it quits, Ty Corbin has been running this show, for three-and-a-half seasons. At the start of the year, with Millsap, Carroll and Al Jefferson gone, he was handed a bunch of green players waiting to turn the corner and retreads waiting to retire. Then he had to deal with critical injuries right out of the gate. Still, Corbin needs to demonstrate that he is the coach for this franchise’s future going forward, and wins over stumbling teams like the Hawks can only help his cause.

Corbin will need a strong defensive effort on Millsap from South Atlanta High’s Derrick Favors (15 points, 14 boards, 3 blocks vs. Philly on Saturday night). Despite the tantalizing prospect of pairing him together with Enes Kanter, the latter has been ineffective defensively and now only gets spot duty as an offensive banger off the bench (5.0 offensive rebounds per game in last four games). Elton Brand and Pero Antić should have a field day schooling these two yung’uns from the high post.

Conversely, Atlanta will need to find a way to cool off Alec Burks (18.7 PPG, 62.1 FG%, 6-for-9 on threes last three games) and contract-year leading scorer Gordon Hayward (18.3 PPG last 7 games).

Go Hawks!

~lw3