Atlanta Hawks (31-31) beat Portland Trail Blazers (29-33) 135-101 at home on Sunday, March 1. The final margin was 34 points.
The game, quarter by quarter
The Hawks had the better start, winning the first 44-25 to lead by 19 after one. The Trail Blazers cut into the deficit with a 33-31 second quarter, though the Hawks still led by 17 at halftime.
The Hawks won the third 28-27 to create some separation, taking a 18-point lead into the fourth. The Hawks took the fourth 32-16; the Hawks finished the job for a 135-101 regulation win.
Why it was lopsided
The Hawks got more from their shots, finishing at 63.6% effective field-goal shooting compared with 47.7% for the Trail Blazers. The Hawks grabbed 31% of their own misses, while the Trail Blazers recovered 18%. That shooting gap supplied the clearest edge.
At roughly 104 possessions per team, the Hawks produced 129.5 points per 100 possessions to 96.9 for the Trail Blazers.
The Hawks' reserves also made a difference, outscoring the opposing bench 56-36.
Who stood out
Onyeka Okongwu was the game's biggest individual force for ATL: 25 pts, 10 reb, 6 ast on 9-15 shooting. His Game Score of 25.8 led everyone. His team was +20 with him on the floor.
Jrue Holiday led the Trail Blazers with 23 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast on 9-16 shooting, good for a 17 Game Score.
Onyeka Okongwu (25 pts, 10 reb, 6 ast) and Donovan Clingan (15 pts, 15 reb, 5 ast) each recorded a double-double.
What it means
The result fit the pre-game Win Meter, which gave the Hawks about a 66% chance.
Across the last 3 meetings in our records, Portland Trail Blazers lead 3-0.
The Hawks are now 31-31, and the Trail Blazers are 29-33. The Hawks last five before this game: W-L-W-W-W.
Written automatically by Tip Off Live software from box score data. Ratings and probabilities are our own model estimates.