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Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20
Preview: Atlanta At Portland
When: 10:30 PM ET, Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Where: Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, Portland, Oregon
The Atlanta Hawks begin a stretch of four straight road games and six of seven on enemy courts when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. The current four-game trip consists of games against Western Conference teams with losing records in Portland, Sacramento, Phoenix and Denver.
The Hawks prepared for the excursion with a 98-81 victory over Orlando on Monday and now aim to build on their 10-10 road mark. “We would like to go on the road and play well,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. “We’re going to have to go out and do it on the court. Talking about it at the end of the day doesn’t do coaches or players much good.” Portland has won four of its last five games – including a 108-98 road win over the Washington Wizards on Monday – and is embarking on a seven-game homestand. Shooting guard C.J. McCollum scored 25 points and made six 3-pointers against Washington after shooting just 33.3 percent from the field over his previous six contests.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), CSN Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (25-17): The bench has contributed 102 points over the last two games – 53 in Saturday’s 114-86 trouncing of the Brooklyn Nets and 49 in the win over Orlando. Center Tiago Splitter scored 10 points in each game, point guard Dennis Schroder averaged 10.5 points and nine assists and forward Mike Scott averaged 8.5 points and had 12 on 5-of-6 shooting against the Magic. “We’ve actually been feeding off them,” starting power forward Paul Millsap told reporters. “They push the tempo, they get after it on defense and when you have the whole team contributing, the whole team out there fighting, this is a tough team.”
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (19-25): The cut to 30 players for the U.S. Olympic team was announced on Monday and perhaps the biggest omission was the absence of Damian Lillard, who averages 24.4 points and has made 114 3-point baskets. Lillard was cut by the squad leading up to the FIBA World Cup in 2014 and elected not to participate with USA Basketball this past summer – sealing his fate toward the Olympics. “There’s no hard feelings toward them, but any time I go into a situation, I want to have a real opportunity,” Lillard told reporters. “If I’m going to invest myself in something I want to have a real opportunity at it and the last time that I did that I felt like the decision was already made before the decision was made. Whether I played good or bad, I didn’t feel like it mattered.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Hawks have won the past three meetings, including a 106-97 home win on Dec. 21.
2. Millsap had 13 points and 12 rebounds against the Magic for his 15th double-double of the season.
3. Portland C Mason Plumlee matched a career high with his 12th double-double in the win over the Wizards and also contributed a career-best seven assists.
PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 105, Hawks 103
Preview: Atlanta At Portland
When: 10:30 PM ET, Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Where: Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, Portland, Oregon
The Atlanta Hawks begin a stretch of four straight road games and six of seven on enemy courts when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. The current four-game trip consists of games against Western Conference teams with losing records in Portland, Sacramento, Phoenix and Denver.
The Hawks prepared for the excursion with a 98-81 victory over Orlando on Monday and now aim to build on their 10-10 road mark. “We would like to go on the road and play well,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. “We’re going to have to go out and do it on the court. Talking about it at the end of the day doesn’t do coaches or players much good.” Portland has won four of its last five games – including a 108-98 road win over the Washington Wizards on Monday – and is embarking on a seven-game homestand. Shooting guard C.J. McCollum scored 25 points and made six 3-pointers against Washington after shooting just 33.3 percent from the field over his previous six contests.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), CSN Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (25-17): The bench has contributed 102 points over the last two games – 53 in Saturday’s 114-86 trouncing of the Brooklyn Nets and 49 in the win over Orlando. Center Tiago Splitter scored 10 points in each game, point guard Dennis Schroder averaged 10.5 points and nine assists and forward Mike Scott averaged 8.5 points and had 12 on 5-of-6 shooting against the Magic. “We’ve actually been feeding off them,” starting power forward Paul Millsap told reporters. “They push the tempo, they get after it on defense and when you have the whole team contributing, the whole team out there fighting, this is a tough team.”
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (19-25): The cut to 30 players for the U.S. Olympic team was announced on Monday and perhaps the biggest omission was the absence of Damian Lillard, who averages 24.4 points and has made 114 3-point baskets. Lillard was cut by the squad leading up to the FIBA World Cup in 2014 and elected not to participate with USA Basketball this past summer – sealing his fate toward the Olympics. “There’s no hard feelings toward them, but any time I go into a situation, I want to have a real opportunity,” Lillard told reporters. “If I’m going to invest myself in something I want to have a real opportunity at it and the last time that I did that I felt like the decision was already made before the decision was made. Whether I played good or bad, I didn’t feel like it mattered.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Hawks have won the past three meetings, including a 106-97 home win on Dec. 21.
2. Millsap had 13 points and 12 rebounds against the Magic for his 15th double-double of the season.
3. Portland C Mason Plumlee matched a career high with his 12th double-double in the win over the Wizards and also contributed a career-best seven assists.
PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 105, Hawks 103
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