Atlanta Hawks vs. Portland Trail Blazers Predictions, Picks and NBA Preview – January 20, 2016

The Atlanta Hawks kick off a long six-game road trip tonight when they square off with Damian Lillard and the rest of the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. Can the Hawks emerge victorious in this one? Or will the Blazers take care of business on their home floor?

[sc:NBA250 ]Read on below for a complete breakdown of this game, and while you’re at it, check out our preview of the Utah Jazz at New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls.
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Atlanta Hawks vs. Portland Trailblazers Betting Preview

Where: Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, Portland

When: Wednesday, January 20, 2016, 10:00 PM ET

Line: Atlanta Hawks (-2) vs. Portland Trailblazers (+2); total: 208.5 – view all NBA lines

TV Broadcast: ESPN

Betting on the Atlanta Hawks (25-17)

[sc:NBA240banner ]The Atlanta Hawks are soaring right now. They’ve won four of their last six and head into this matchup having won two-straight. In those two wins, the Hawks showcased their defensive prowess, winning by an averaging margin of 22.5 points. They’ll now look to sustain their fine form in the first game of their six-game road trip against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Key to their on-going success is the pair of Paul Millsap and Al Horford, who lead the team in scoring this season with 18.4 PPG and 15.4 PPG respectively. Millsap, in particular, has been the most consistent player for the Hawks as he’s managed to score 12 or more points over his last 18 games. In that stretch, he’s averaging 19.1 PPG and also 7.5 RPG.

Offense, though, will just be a small part of their worries in this matchup as they’ll be faced with a challenging task of stopping the Blazers’ dynamic duo in Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum from racking up the points. The two are averaging above 20 points per game this season and will be going up against an Atlanta defense that’s giving up 100.1 points per game.

Atlanta is 5-5 SU and ATS in its past 10 road games.

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Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (19-25)

After going 2-1 in their recent road trip, the Blazers head back to Moda Center for a seven-game home stand which will begin against the Atlanta Hawks this evening. The Blazers march into this game fresh off a resounding 10-point win over Washington. C.J. McCollum led the way with 25 points and nailed 6-of-10 shots from the three-point line.

McCollum has had a spectacular 2015-16 campaign for the team thus far, averaging a career-best 20.5 points, 3.6 boards and 4.4 assists while shooting 43.5% from the field. He’s also finished in double-figures in all of the games he’s played this season.

Not to be outdone, Damian Lillard is also bound to provide the Hawks a major headache later. He leads the Blazers in points (24.4) and assists (7.0) and has played considerably better at home this year with 25.5 PPG and 8.1 APG. But Lillard’s been off in the past two games, tallying just 30 points in total along with a mediocre 32.3 field goal percentage.

Nevertheless, Lillard can get hot at any given moment and the Blazers can expect him to stay aggressive opposite an Atlanta squad that’s had its share of troubles in stopping speedy guards this season.

Portland is 6-4 SU and ATS in its last 10 games at home.

Writer’s Prediction

Blazers (-2) win, 111-100. Create a betting account now and put your NBA predictions to the test!
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