Shaedon Sharpe came up with big plays at both ends of the floor in the final minute to lift the Portland Trail Blazers to a 114-110 home win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Coming off a career high 33 points in a win over Minnesota on Wednesday, Sharpe finished with a game-high 32, including the Trail Blazers’ last nine points. Portland has won three in a row.
Down 108-106, Sharpe nailed a long 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down to put Portland ahead. On the next possession, he stole a Dyson Daniels pass and was fouled with 18.2 seconds left. He made both free throws to put Portland up 111-108.
Atlanta called timeout and Trae Young went straight to the basket for a lay-up to make it 111-110. Portland broke the Hawks’ press and fed Sharpe, who was fouled when he went to the basket. He made one of two and Atlanta rebounded with 9.9 seconds left and called timeout.
Young took the inbounds pass and was guarded by Toumani Camara, Young picked up his dribble as Camara closed in and fired a pass for Daniels that was intercepted by Sharpe. He would make both free throws to seal it.
The Hawks trailed by 13 entering the fourth quarter, but made a big comeback led by Young (29 points) and Jalen Johnson (25). Dalano Blanton had 23 points off the bench for Portland.
Atlanta came out firing, scoring the game’s first seven points with a dunk and two free throws by 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher. A steal and lay-up by Daniels (who leads the NBA in steals) made it 23-9 midway through the first quarter, and the Atlanta lead eventually hit 33-17 after another steal and score by Jalen Johnson. Portland committed eight turnovers in the first.
Portland would surge back in the second quarter, trimming the lead to 54-52 on a three by Camara with two minutes left. The Hawks would close the half on an 8-2 run capped by a Young assist to Johnson for a dunk for a 64-56 halftime lead.
The Trail Blazers entered the contest as the NBA’s worst team in the third quarter, being outscored by an average of 7.7 points in the quarter, but went on a 17-0 run to turn a 76-66 deficit into an 83-76 lead.
