Big Ben's starting appearance tipped the balance of victory in favor of the Hawks.
Today, Karl Malone had intended to teach Big Ben a lesson, but now he had to consider whether it was worth it.
First of all, that wild hairdo definitely does not belong to a fat clown like O'Neal, who's all brawn and no brains.
Big Ben had a vicious streak, the kind that would really go in for the kill in a fight.
Secondly, if things went too far, it would be a lose-lose situation for both Karl Malone and Big Ben.
Malone couldn't afford to get physical with Big Ben; he had to look for sneaky opportunities to get at him.
However, Karl Malone was exactly an expert in that regard.
The inspiration for the game "Hitman 47" might have come from Malone, given his knack for making intentional harm look like an accident.
The game continued, with the Jazz taking the offensive.