Portland Trail Blazers vs. Atlanta Hawks Game Day Thread
Share this story
Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images
The Portland Trail Blazers continue their so far perfect road trip tonight taking on the Atlanta Hawks. For the first time in franchise history, the Trail Blazers have won four games in a row on the same road trip by more than 10 points. After a five game losing streak, Portland has come back fighting, and whatever they’re doing, it is working. They’re looking for win number five tonight in Atlanta, and at this point, anything is possible.
The following information is courtesy of our Game Day Preview team.
Preview: Hawks, Blazers set for Monday night battle
Share this story
Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlanta Hawks (35-30) will host the Portland Trail Blazers (36-28) Monday evening as both teams continue to jockey for playoff seeding in their respective conference. Coming into play, the Hawks sit as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. They have the same record as the Miami Heat, but hold the tiebreak over them due to winning the season series 2-1.
Portland was now won four in a row after a brief skid in April, but they will be on the second half of a back-to-back after beating the Boston Celtics on Sunday. The Trail Blazers are the No. 6 seed in the West, and will be hungry to continue their roll towards the finish line to avoid the play-in.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Atlanta Hawks Preview
Share this story
Atlanta Hawks (35-30)
What a difference a week makes. Last Monday the team seemed to be in shambles. After losing five in a row including four at home, the question wasn’t where the Portland Trail Blazers would be seeded for the playoffs but rather whether they might drop out of the post-season altogether. Now, after winning four in a row on the road and some friendly results elsewhere, the Blazers are in position to avoid the play-in, and a fifth seed is within reach.
The Atlanta Hawks are also hoping to avoid the play-in, currently sitting in the fifth seed. As in the West, the battle to avoid the play-in is very close, with fourth through seventh separated by just two games in the win column. Atlanta most recently snapped a three game losing streak by beating the Chicago Bulls at home on Saturday, 108-97. That win clinched a post-season birth for the Hawks.
5. Clint Capela
Injury Report: De’Andre Hunter OUT (knee), Cam Reddish OUT (Achillies), Kevin Huerter QUESTIONABLE (shoulder), Bogdan Bogdanovic QUESTIONABLE (hamstring)
What to Watch For …
• Head coach Billy Donovan announced that Nikola Vucevic will be available for tonight’s game despite some right adductor tightness. While the game will be an uphill battle even with him in the lineup, the Bulls would have stood practically zero chance without him on the floor. The Hawks are the league’s 9th-best rebounding team thanks to the strong play of center Clint Capela. The big man averages a league-high 14.3 rebounds per game, so to say Vucevic’s own rebounding ability is needed would be an understatement. Vooch has averaged 14.6 rebounds over the team’s last five games to go along with 22 points.