Guard Play Headlines Matchup
Two squads fighting for playoff positioning collide on Friday night as the Atlanta Hawks (31-31) play host to the Portland Trail Blazers (29-33). This should be an exciting matchup with both offenses ranking in the top half of points per game and featuring some of the association’s best guards, like Portland’s Damian Lillard and Atlanta’s Trae Young.
These teams are trending in opposite directions. The Trail Blazers are 1-4 in their last five games while going 1-4 against the spread (ATS). The Hawks have gone 2-1 since firing coach Nate McMillan after the All-Star break. However, Atlanta is 1-2 ATS during the stretch. Which team will finally cover an NBA point spread?
Trail Blazers Leaning on Lillard
Lillard’s explosion for 71 points against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 26 has headlined the Blazers’ week. However, Portland has not found success since the break. Its poor defense, which ranks 27th in efficiency, has been too much to overcome.
The Trail Blazers’ previous two opponents averaged 122 points while shooting better than 50% from the floor. This must improve against the Hawks, who are averaging 127 points since the break.
Portland could be short-handed on Friday night. Center Jusuf Nurkic (13.8 points) will likely be out with a calf injury and guard Anfernee Simmons (21.1 points) is questionable with an ankle one. Lillard (32.3 points) will shoulder the scoring load once again. NBA lines have the reigning 3-Point Contest champion as the favorite to be the next player to score 60 or more points in a game (+300).
Damian Lillard now has thirteen 40+ point games this season, the most all-time by a player aged 32 or older.
He passes Michael Jordan (12 games, 1997-98). pic.twitter.com/Ykm6jDtHPI
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) March 2, 2023
The Blazers are currently in 12th place in the Western Conference. To crack the Play-In Tournament, Portland must eclipse the sportsbook’s projected win total of 37½ (-115).
Hawks Flying High From Three
Atlanta has appeared in plenty of recent NBA news. Its coaching change following the break was something that had to be addressed. Coach Quin Snyder was hired, but his debut on Tuesday was spoiled with a 119-116 loss against the Washington Wizards.
However, Atlanta is still trending in the right direction for a playoff appearance. Hitting the over on its projected win total of 42½ seems favorable with the 10th-easiest remaining schedule. Don’t expect the Hawks to be contenders, though, as NBA odds have them at +4000 to win the Eastern Conference.
Since the break, 3-point shooting has been a big story. Atlanta is shooting 47.3% from deep while making at least 13 shots from beyond the arc in three straight. Plus, Young is averaging 33 points during the three-game span. Portland allows opponents to shoot 37% from three (23rd). The Hawks seemed poised for another massive showing from three.
Trail Blazers vs Hawks Game Injuries
Trail Blazers vs Hawks Head-to-Head
This series is split at 3-3 in the last six matchups. The home team has won seven straight, but the Hawks are 2-2 ATS in their last four home games against the Blazers.
Trail Blazers vs Hawks Game Information
- Game:Trail Blazers (29-33) vs Hawks (31-31)
- Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
- Day/Time: Friday, March 3, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Trail Blazers vs Hawks Live stream: NBA Game Pass
Trail Blazers vs Hawks Betting Lines
Trail Blazers vs Hawks Picks and Prediction
Now, let’s look at some of the best NBA bets tonight. The Hawks should be able to find success from three, thanks to their recent hot streak and Portland’s weak perimeter defense. This could be an excellent prop bet. The over seems promising, with the Blazers hitting the over in two of their last three road games, and Atlanta has gone over in three straight.
Neither team has been a consistent cover since the break. With the Trail Blazers’ three-game losing streak on the road, look for the Hawks to cover. A prop bet for Atlanta’s 3-pointers and the over are the most enticing NBA picks for this matchup.
Atlanta is listed at -255 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Hawks, you have a chance to win $39. Portland is +208, offering a chance to win $208 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Atlanta a 71.83% chance to win, with the Trail Blazers at 32.47%.
Trail Blazers vs Hawks Trends
Trail Blazers vs Hawks Edge
Trail Blazers vs Hawks Results
Trail Blazers vs Hawks Game Summary
Hawks vs Trail Blazers Previous ( Jan 30, 2023)
I don’t have much faith in either team here, but there is potential value in the total with three potentially injured stars. Should Young and/or either of the Blazers’ players miss this game, it would leave a gap in scoring for both sides. The Hawks will fill that gap, but don’t expect the same output from Murray that Young provides.
Hawks vs Trail Blazers Game Summary
