Hawks Play Lakers Sunday: It's Time To Step Up

(Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

The Atlanta Hawks have one more game—this Sunday—to prove that they can beat the big boys.

Over the last week, they have endured two games as tough as any in the year, then they cap it off with the Lakers on Sunday. A game they need to win.

The Heat are breathing down their necks—only 2.5 games back—and the Sixers are not much behind them. The Hawks have the talent to compete with anyone in the league, but in a seven-game series: "I Dunno..."

At least they are proving what we already know to be true: The fact is they more than likely won’t get blown out by anyone, especially not at home.

But as the national spotlight beams brighter and brighter on the team, they need to win a lot more of these high profile games, and not in a March Madness 15-seed-over-a-2-seed way, but more like we expect that to happen because we know they are that good.

The stepping stone for that notion would be a convincing victory over the L.A. Lakers on Sunday, and a Heat loss would be nice also.

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