Trail Blazers vs. Hawks NBA expert prediction and odds for Wednesday, March 27 (Take the over)
Portland’s lost season continues as they travel across the country Wednesday as double-digit underdogs to face the Atlanta Hawks. The Trail Blazers have a lengthy injury report heading into this matchup and have lost seven consecutive games, four by double figures.
Meanwhile, the Hawks are still without All-Star point guard Trae Young but Atlanta has kept its season afloat, going 8-7 without him. Atlanta is coming off one of its biggest upsets of the season, rallying to defeat the Boston Celtics, 120-118, after trailing by as many as 30 points. Can Atlanta pull away in unfamiliar territory as a double-digit favorite on Wednesday? Here’s the betting breakdown of the cross-conference matchup with a best bet.
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Trail Blazers vs. Hawks odds, spread and total
Trail Blazers vs. Hawks how to watch
- Date: Wednesday, March 27
- Game time: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Venue: State Farm Arena
- How to watch (TV): Bally Sports
- Trail Blazers record: 19-53
- Hawks record: 32-39
Trail Blazers vs. Hawks injury report
Portland Trail Blazers
- Matisse Thybulle (ankle): questionable
- Deandre Ayton (elbow): questionable
- Jerami Grant (hamstring): doubtful
- Anfernee Simons (knee): out
Atlanta Hawks
- Onyeka Okongwu (toe): questionable
- Dejounte Murray (back soreness): questionable
Trail Blazers vs. Hawks key players to watch
Portland Trail Blazers
Dalano Banton: The 6-foot-8 center and former second-round pick has helped carry the load offensively for Portland given the team’s string of injuries. Banton, who averages 8.2 points per game this season, has bumped that to 17.4 points per game in March. He is coming off a 28-point performance off the bench in Monday’s road loss to Houston.
Atlanta Hawks
Clint Capela: Continuing to do the dirty work down low, Capela is averaging a double-double per game this season at 11.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while shooting 56% from the field. Capela has recorded a double-double in three consecutive games and turned in 14 points and 12 boards in Monday’s comeback win over the Celtics.
Trail Blazers vs. Hawks prediction and pick
Atlanta hasn’t been a double-digit favorite since Jan. 24, when the 11.5-point favorite Hawks beat the Pistons but didn’t cover, 130-124. This is by far the biggest favorite Atlanta has been since Young has been sidelined and you’re buying extremely high on the Hawks in a let-down spot after the biggest victory of the season.
Atlanta is just 13-22 ATS at home this season (third-worst in the NBA) and 10-15 ATS as a home favorite.
Still, Portland’s injury report is concerning for a team with nothing to play for in the second game of a seven-game road trip. With so much production sidelined due to injury, the Trail Blazers are not the same team that is 18-16 ATS on the road this season. Portland’s shorthanded offense likely doesn’t have the firepower to take advantage of an Atlanta defense that is No. 27 in net rating and scoring (120.7 points per game).
Even Portland's season-long numbers aren’t pretty as the Trail Blazers are last in the NBA in effective field goal percentage. Though NBA overs started cold after the All-Star break, the over has hit in five of the last six Portland and Atlanta games. Portland’s defense is hurt the most by injuries and Atlanta’s defense is bad enough to permit the Trail Blazers to find some semblance of a groove. Go over the total.
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.