PREVIEW: The Atlanta Hawks, carrying a 20-22 record, face off against the Portland Trail Blazers, who sit at 19-22, on Thursday night as 4.5-point favorites. The Hawks enter this matchup riding momentum after winning three straight games before suffering a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Jalen Johnson has emerged as the team's new franchise centerpiece following a significant trade, and he'll look to lead Atlanta to its fourth win in five games. Both teams lack available ShotQuality data for this contest, making it difficult to assess their efficiency metrics in shot selection and execution heading into Thursday evening. Portland has stumbled recently, dropping consecutive games to the Knicks and Warriors, with the team's offensive production dipping considerably without key contributors. Deni Avdija, who averages team-leading marks of 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game, remains questionable due to a back injury and could miss his second straight contest. Atlanta comes in red-hot against the spread in recent action, posting a 7-3 record over its last ten games and an impressive 5-1 mark in its last six matchups against Western Conference opponents. These teams combine to average 234.1 points per game, suggesting a potential for increased scoring, though the absence of ShotQuality data leaves questions about whether either side can maintain efficiency in a potentially high-paced affair.