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NBA Betting: Atlanta Hawks Season Long Handicapping 1/15/2026 vs. Portland Trail Blazers

by Spencer Toth - 1/15/2026

NBA betting Atlanta Hawks season long handicapping Portland Trail Blazers Deni Avdija

All season long, Doc’s Sports will be breaking down and providing free best bets for every Atlanta Hawks game this season. We are already up more than 30 units on the year, but the job is far from finished as the Hawks have officially ticked into the second half of the regular season. 

Doc’s Sports offers NBA expert picks for every game on our NBA predictions page.

On Tuesday night, Atlanta got smoked by the Los Angeles Lakers 116-141. It was the second night of a back-to-back for the Lakers, but their stars all played, and they defended their home court. LeBron James and Luka Doncic combined for 58 points while both posting 10+ assists. The Hawks got 26 points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and it was a breakout game for CJ McCollum, who chipped in with 25. It is hard to justify a 25-point loss, but the Hawks didn’t actually play too terribly other than the disparity in three-point percentage. The Lakers went 19/34 from deep, while the Hawks went 13/46. It is impossible to win with those splits, even though the Hawks took 17 extra shots thanks to their season-low six turnovers. 

From a betting perspective, we had a fantastic night. We focused on DeAndre Ayton down low, taking both his over 24.5 points+rebounds line, and the +150 odds on his double-double. He finished with 17 points and 18 rebounds, giving us a sweat-free winner. We also sprinkled a single unit on the Hawks' moneyline, under the assumption some of the Lakers' stars would sit this one out. That wasn’t the case, and the small loss won’t take away from the big night secured with Ayton. 

Tonight, the Atlanta Hawks (20-22) will look to get back on track as they head to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers (19-22). Atlanta’s stellar 13-11 road record will be tested tonight, as Portland has vastly exceeded expectations this season as they cling onto the ninth seed in the West. One of the biggest factors has been Deni Avdija’s breakout season. He leads the team in PPG at 26.1, and is second in both rebounds (7.1) and assists (6.9). His all-around impact on the offensive end is the driving force behind the Trail Blazers' success, but the Israeli center is doubtful tonight with back soreness. He missed the Trail Blazers game against the Warriors two nights ago, and Portland lost by 22 points. 

In Avdija’s absence, the Trail Blazers will look to Shaedon Sharpe and Jerami Grant to deliver on the offensive end. Sharpe has been the leading scorer in Portland since Damian Lillard left, and his increased usage tonight is something he is used to. Sharpe uses his record-setting vertical to get to the rim and finish down low, but he also isn’t afraid to pull up in the mid-range and drain a long Jimmy. He shot 61.7% from two-point range in December and is an efficient shooter despite his measly 32.7% clip from behind the arc. Sharpe will be the focal point of the Trail Blazers' offense, and he is poised for a big game in Portland. 

The Trail Blazers are missing their big man tonight, as are the Hawks, as Kristaps Porzingis remains out with an Achilles injury. Zaccharie Risacher will also sit out tonight, leaving the Hawks short-handed again on their road trip. Onyeka Okongwu will need a big game down low to compete with the strong and physical Robert Williams III, and the Hawks will need to do a much better job at winning on the outside than they did against the Lakers. Trading away Trae Young was supposed to fix the Hawks' defensive issues this season, but the Atlanta fan base is still waiting for a shift on that end of the court.
Jalen Johnson has cooled off after a strong start to the year, and this is a great spot for him to get back on track. He has just 20.7 PPG, 8.9 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in his last 7 games, well behind the pace he set earlier this season. The Hawks need some more efficient scoring, and Alexander-Walker can’t do it alone as Dyson Daniels and Vit Krejci continue to struggle from behind the arc. Johnson has the type of playstyle where he can really take over on both ends of the court, and it is not as if the Trail Blazers are a tall and physical team outside of the center position. Johnson has been forced to play less small-ball than he would’ve liked to with Porzingis still on the shelf, while time is running out for the Hawks to dash up the standings. Johnson is still developing at 24-years-old, and bouncing back after this rough start is essential. He has the physicality, the matchup, and the motivation to get back on track tonight. 

Unsurprisingly, our first bet of the night will be on Jalen Johnson to go over 40.5 points+rebounds+assists. Johnson is long overdue for his vintage statsheet-stuffing performance, and this is the spot for him to do so. Sticking with the superstar theme, we will also take Shaedon Sharpe to go over 24.5 points, with a sprinkle on 30+ at +255. Avdija is a volume shooter down low for Portland, and their offense will be very different without him. Williams III, his replacement, is a physical big man who rarely shoots, which will leave lots of opportunities for Sharpe to get on the scoreboard. 

Finally, we will take the Hawks to go over their team total of 117.5. They have scored 110+ in 13 of their last 14 games, and this doesn’t feel like the matchup where their offense dries up. Portland is a bottom half defense that plays at a fast pace, which is the perfect recipe for a big night on the offensive end of the floor. I am still not convinced the Hawks can defend, but I do expect them to prevail in a shootout tonight. Porzingis and Risacher are not huge losses on the offensive end, and some positive regression for the rest of the Hawks will get them back on track. 

 

Pick: Jalen Johnson Over 40.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists 2 Units

Pick: Shaedon Sharpe Over 24.5 Points 3 Units

Pick: Shaedon Sharpe 30+ Points +255 1 Unit

Pick: Atlanta Hawks Over 117.5 Points 2 Units

2025-26 Season Record:
Moneyline: 8-5

Spread: 15-12

Total: 1-6

Player Props: 26-15

Overall: 51-38

Total Units: Up 30.7 Units 

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