Even after erasing a 16-point deficit, the Atlanta Hawks fell to the Portland Trail Blazers 112-106 on Saturday night at the Moda Center in Portland.
For the Hawks, Clint Capela had a tremendous all-around game and wreaked havoc on the Trail Blazers’ big men on both ends of the floor. He finished with 25 points (19 in the first half), 15 rebounds and four blocks, giving him 500 career blocks. His dominance was apparent early and one of the reasons why the Hawks were able to amass 38 points in a blistering hot first quarter.
Trae Young bounced back from last night’s 1-11 shooting with 26 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists. His shot-selection seemed questionable, as he shot just 7-22 from the field but 11-12 from the free-throw line. Young had a great game and even a chance at the end to tie or win the game but settled for contested shots. A late-game offensive foul sealed the Hawks’ fate after Young missed a deep three.
Following a first half where they shot 62% from the field, Hawks struggled in the second half, and they trailed for almost the rest of the game. After scoring 66 points in the first, Lloyd Pierce’s team only had 40 points in the second half, going for a more perimeter-shot-based offense and shying away from the paint.
In the second half, Atlanta converted just one of their 15 threes in the half and shot a grim 29% from the field. It was the game’s story and a reason why they lost yet another double-digit lead. At one point, they lead by 16 points, but as the second half closed, things just started to flip for the Hawks, and they could not get much going.
Some bright spots for the Hawks, however: De’Andre Hunter, who had 15 points and six rebounds and Kevin Huerter, who recorded 13 points, six rebounds and four assists. These two have been consistent all year, but their play has not always resonated with the team. The Hawks now sit at 5-7 following back-to-back losses on a west coast road trip. It was an especially tough night for Heurter, turning the ball over late in the game with just a few seconds left in the fourth quarter.
For the Blazers, Damian Lillard was a force on offense, as always. He carried the load on offense all night long, leaving the Hawks’ defense with no answers. Lillard finished with a game-high 36 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. He continues to show he is among the league’s elite and regarded as one of the toughest players to guard.
CJ McCollum was the second-leading scorer for the Blazers and had it going until he left with a left foot sprain in the second quarter. Even in 19 minutes, he managed 16 points.
Gary Trent had a great game off the bench and finished with 18 points and three rebounds. Between big shots late down the stretch and defensive stops, the 21-year old two-way player continues to take leaps forward and has shown the ability to have a deadly shot from three-point range, hitting four of his eight attempts from deep against the Hawks.
Enes Kanter came up big for the Blazers, finishing with 12 points and 15 rebounds, including six offensive. The Hawks’ rebounding struggles outside of Capela remain glaring.
The Blazers shot just 38% from the field and still came away with a victory, which the Hawks will more than likely talk about in their upcoming film sessions.
Key stops in critical moments propelled Terry Stotts’ team to victory, between dominating the offensive glass (17-7 rebounding advantage) and second-chance opportunities, making it easier for Portland to pull away late.
Atlanta will have to make a quick wash of this one before Monday’s MLK Day game against the first-overall pick from November’s NBA Draft Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, where they will debut their new uniforms and court design.
