Portland Trail Blazers vs Atlanta Hawks – Free NBA prediction and picks – January 15, 2026

Portland Trail Blazers – Atlanta Hawks : ninth-place teams collide

The Blazers and the Hawks meet in a showdown between the two teams sitting ninth in their respective conferences. Both have the same aim: grab one more win to chase the top six. Won’t be simple — especially with notable absences on both sides.

Portland Trail Blazers : bounce back even without Avdija

The Blazers have dropped two in a row, but before that Splitter’s men rattled off five straight wins — not bad overall. Under coach Splitter the offensive identity is obvious: push the pace and attack without mercy. Portland scores 115.8 points per game (17th in the league).

The real issue is defense — it’s far too forgiving, allowing 118.9 points on average, the 24th worst mark. Add major roster problems. Avdija, Grant and Henderson are out for this one — a trio that matters in the rotation. Those absences bit hard in the recent 97-119 loss to Golden State, where Portland folded quickly.

Atlanta Hawks : take advantage of opponents’ absences

The Hawks have been up and down, flipping between very good and mediocre all season. Lately it’s been decent — three wins in their last four. Wins over the Nuggets (110-87) and Pelicans (117-100) were encouraging; they showed the ability to keep it tight on defense for a full game. The shellacking by the Lakers (116-141) reminded everyone defensive holes don’t disappear overnight.

Against a shorthanded Blazers squad, the Hawks should stick to what they do: score in transition. The recent additions — Trae Young, C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert — have contributed in their first games. Another plus: Atlanta travels well, sitting 13-11 on the road, which is uncommon for a team with a losing overall record.

NBA prediction Portland Trail Blazers vs Atlanta Hawks

Hawks win

On paper Portland still looks solid at home against Atlanta. But the context flips that. Missing key players, the Blazers may lack bench depth and late-game impact. The Hawks arrive with a decent collective momentum and seem to have found better balance without Trae Young. If Atlanta shows some defensive discipline, their physical edge and the opponent’s thin rotation should decide it. Expect a competitive game, but the advantage clearly lies with the visitors.

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