Tonight’s matchup between the Portland Trail Blazers and Atlanta Hawks lived up to the billing of an April NBA game between sub-.500 teams. It wasn’t too pretty, and at times it felt all too goofy, as both teams combined for 36 turnovers.
The Blazers overcame those elements and the Hawks to pull away in the second half for a 127-113 win.
Blazers forward Deni Avdija’s second career triple-double was a big force behind the win. He outdid Atlanta star Trae Young, who produced 29 points and 15 assists on 7-20 shooting.
Blazer of the Game: Deni Avdija...Once again. The do-it-all forward paced Portland with 32 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists while shooting 11-21 from the field. Even with seven turnovers, he was the Blazers’ most impactful performer and the key to the win. Avdija started off hot, cooled off some, and then heated up again in the fourth to shut down an Atlanta comeback attempt. It’s become clear: If you’re a fan who wants the Blazers to guarantee losses down the stretch for lottery purposes, they’ll probably have to sit Avdija (but that seems very against his competitive nature). Honorable Mention goes to Shaedon Sharpe, who produced 33 points on 11-25 shooting, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Stat of the Night: 40-30. Things were tight until the Blazers took command with a big third quarter, outscoring the Hawks in the frame, 40-30. That helped Portland build a lead as large as 18, which was too much for the Hawks to overcome.
What We’ll Remember: The unserious feel. This game, particularly in the first half, was the kind that made you look at the remaining six games on the schedule and sigh. It showcased that vintage style usually reserved for your local 24 Hour Fitness: a jarring up-and-down pace, sloppy turnovers, some cherry-picking and a few guys blasting through the shenanigans with really hard play (hello, Deni Avdija). Kudos to the Blazers for pulling away to take care of business, but this win left a low impression of the Hawks (now 36-39) more so than a favorable impression of the victorious Blazers.
Box Score
What’s Next: Blazer’s Edge Managing Editor Dave Deckard will be your captain later for tonight’s extended recap. Then the Blazers travel to Canada to take on the Toronto Raptors Thursday at 4:30 p.m. Pacific.