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Atlanta Hawks Game Preview: Feb. 13 at Portland Trail Blazers

By Andrew Snyder

Apr 16, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) looks to pass the ball back inbound against the Boston Celtics during the first half in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) looks to pass the ball back inbound against the Boston Celtics during the first half in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tonight, the Atlanta Hawks will try to get their first win on this three-game road trip against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Atlanta Hawks are many things, but they are definitely not boring. Their most recent game was a roller-coaster ride of conflicting emotions. Things started well enough, Atlanta held a 22-point lead at one point in the third quarter. Then the collapse ensued.

The Sacramento Kings stormed back to take a one-point lead with 4.3 seconds remaining. On the final possession of the game Tim Hardaway Jr. fought through contact to get a shot off at the rim. It would fall short, giving the Kings a 108-107 win.

The west coast road trip continues tonight. The Hawks are in Portland to take on the Trail Blazers. Portland has had a bit of a weird season. Last season they were the surprise team of the NBA. They finished as the 5th seed in the Western Conference and won their first round playoff series against the injury depleted Los Angeles.

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This summer they made some interesting decisions. They signed Evan Turner four-year, $70 million contract and Festus Ezeli to a two-year, $15 million deal. They also brought back Meyers Leonard, matched Brooklyn’s offer sheet for Allen Crabbe, and signed C.J. McCollum to a contract extension.

Those contracts represent significant money spent. Is the team living up to their dollar figures? Not quite. It’s been a tough season in Portland. They currently have a 23-31 record and occupy the 9th spot in the Western Conference. They’re a far cry from the plucky overachievers they were a year ago.

Defense is their biggest issue. Their defense has been abysmal. Portland allows 112 points per 100 possessions, ranking 27th in the NBA. They allow their opponents to shoot 48.6 percent from the field which is 4th worst in the league. This team bleeds points.

They have been decent on the offensive end on the offensive end, scoring 109.6 points per 100 possessions, but they don’t score enough to make up for their defensive issues. Of course, Portland’s best player is known for his offense.

Despite the failures of the team, Damian Lillard is still having a very good offensive season. Lillard is averaging 26.1 points and 5.8 assists per game on 44.1 percent shooting and 34.8 percent from three-point range. His efficiency has taken a slight dip from last season.

Some might say C.J. McCollum is closing the gap in quality between himself and Lillard. McCollum enters tonight’s game averaging 23.5 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game on 48.8 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from three-point range. He’s definitely been the more efficient player this season.

On Sunday, Portland changed their roster slightly. They sold high on starting center Mason Plumlee by sending him and a second round pick to the Denver Nuggets for Jusuf Nurkic and a first round pick. That won’t help their defense this season, but it’s a good value pickup for a player they had no intention of re-signing next summer. Portland likely has their sights set on the future.

These two teams have not played yet this season. Atlanta’s streaky offense against Portland’s porous defense will be the match-up to watch. The Hawks will be without Thabo Sefolosha for the eighth consecutive game. He was listed as questionable this morning, but a recent announcement from the Hawks has him listed as out.

Tim Hardaway Jr. has been playing well in his absence. Hardaway is averaging 20 points per game on 50 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three-point range in February. The Hawks have come to rely on his significant scoring outputs.

Paul Millsap will likely present the biggest challenge for Portland’s defense. They don’t have anyone down low that can account for his combination of scoring, passing, and outside shooting. Don’t be surprised if Millsap has a huge night. The same could be said for Dennis Schroder. Schroder and Lillard might carve each other up offensively.

In the end, I think Atlanta will bounce back from their collapse against the Kings by beating the Blazers with relative ease. Getting Sefolosha back would further help turn this prediction into a reality, but that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

Next: Hawks Eye View Episode 2

Who:  Atlanta Hawks (31-23) @ Portland Trail Blazers (23-31)

When: 10:30 PM EST, Monday, February 13th, 2017

Where: Moda Center 

How: TNT

Prediction: Hawks 105 Trail Blazers 99

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