Atlanta Hawks vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Matchup to Watch
The Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers will meet on Saturday night. What is the matchup to keep an eye on?
The game between the Hawks and Trail Blazers on Saturday night is one where a lot of talent will be on the floor.
There will also be several exciting position battles but there is one that really stands out as one that can dictate the game.
That would be the center matchup between Jusuf Nurkic and Dwight Howard.
It is no secret that before trading for Nurkic, the Blazers were among the softest teams in the NBA on the interior. The Bosnian bruiser has given the team a big spark and has looked like a star at times with his new team.
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In 12 games with Portland, Nurkic is averaging 14.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. But he will now be tasked with taking on a man that is the epitome of the type of player that the Blazers struggle with on the inside.
Howard is a strong, athletic, tenacious rebounder that finishes at the rim with ferocity. The eight-time All-Star has given the Hawks a physical identity in te middle and is averaging 13.1 points with 12.9 rebounds per game.
His ability to control the glass benefitted the Hawks greatly in their first matchup with the Blazers in February of this season. The Hawks won an overtime game and Howard was a force. “Superman” scored 19 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in this contest, giving the Hawks a dominant factor at one position.
The fact that Howard was able to control so much all while only taking seven shots gives Nurkic a big task for this game.
If Portland is to have a shot in this one, Nurkic must contain Howard’s ability to dominate to glass. The new Blazer must also display his offensive skill to wear down Howard on that end to try to deteriorate his ability on the boards.
Howard needs to be a dominant inside force because outside of Nurkic, the Blazers on thin on the frontline. Paul Millsap should be able to have a good game and if Howard plays like he did in the last meeting between these teams, it will be total domination down low for the Hawks.
But Nurkic has shown his own ability to take over games.
He scored 28 points, grabbed 20 rebounds, dished eight assists, and tallied six blocks, all in a single game earlier this month against the Philadelphia 76ers. If Nurkic has a great game in his own right, he will neutralize Atlanta’s advantage in the frontcourt and leave the fate of the game in the hands of the guards, where Portland thrives.
This matchup is not the most flashy one in this game but is extremely important to the outcome of the game.
Next: Atlanta Hawks vs. Portland Trail Blazers Game Preview
If the Hawks can maintain interior dominance with Howard, they will likely come out on top. But if Nurkic can turn that tide, the Hawks are in real trouble.