PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — Shaedon Sharpe scored 24 points and the Portland Trail Blazers used a decisive fourth quarter to beat the Atlanta Hawks 117-101 on Thursday night. Portland entered the final period with a one-point lead but outscored Atlanta 29-14 to pull away at Moda Center. The Trail Blazers snapped a two-game skid. Onyeka Okongwu led the Hawks with 26 points and nine rebounds. Jalen Johnson added 12 points and 11 assists. Atlanta shot just 14 of 44 from 3-point range and committed 18 turnovers. Jerami Grant scored 16 points for Portland, which improved to 20-22. Atlanta fell to 20-23.

PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — Shaedon Sharpe scored 24 points and the Portland Trail Blazers used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away from the Atlanta Hawks for a 117-101 victory on Thursday night at Moda Center. The Trail Blazers, who had lost two straight after a five-game winning streak, entered the final period clinging to an 88-87 lead. They then outscored the Hawks 29-14 over the final 12 minutes, holding Atlanta to just 14 points on 5-of-22 shooting from the field. Portland’s defense forced six Hawks turnovers in the quarter while its offense found a rhythm, shooting 10 of 19 from the floor. Sharpe, Portland’s top performer, added nine rebounds and five assists to his team-high point total. His all-around effort helped offset the absence of leading scorer Deni Avdija, who missed his second consecutive game with lower back soreness. Jerami Grant provided 16 points off the bench, while rookie Rayan Rupert added 13 points, all in the second half, to fuel the decisive run. Atlanta was led by Onyeka Okongwu, who poured in 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Jalen Johnson recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with 11 points, seven assists and six rebounds. The Hawks, however, could not sustain their offensive flow after a strong middle two quarters, committing 18 total turnovers that led to 21 Portland points. The game’s most critical sequence came early in the fourth quarter. With Portland leading 93-91, the Trail Blazers unleashed a 13-2 run over a three-minute span to seize control. Caleb Love ignited the burst with a step-back 3-pointer, Duop Reath followed with a tip-in and a 3-pointer of his own, and Toumani Camara capped it with a short jumper to give Portland a 103-93 advantage with 8:25 remaining. Atlanta never recovered, failing to get the deficit back to single digits. Portland established an early edge, closing the first quarter on a 12-4 run to take a 33-25 lead. The Hawks responded in the second, outscoring the Trail Blazers 31-21 behind 12 points from Okongwu to take a 56-54 lead into halftime. The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair featuring eight lead changes, with Portland’s Rupert hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the home team its one-point edge heading to the fourth. The Trail Blazers dominated the glass, grabbing 16 offensive rebounds that led to 21 second-chance points compared to Atlanta’s seven offensive boards and eight second-chance points. Portland also capitalized on its trips to the free-throw line, making 17 of 24 attempts, while Atlanta went 17 for 22. With the win, Portland evened its season record at 20-22. Atlanta fell to 20-23. Both teams return to action Saturday, with the Trail Blazers hosting the Los Angeles Lakers and the Hawks welcoming the Boston Celtics.

PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — Two teams hovering around .500 and riding the hot hands of emerging forwards will meet Thursday night when the Atlanta Hawks visit the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. The Hawks (20-21) arrive having won three straight, including a 124-111 victory at Golden State on Sunday. The Trail Blazers (19-21) saw a five-game winning streak snapped with a 123-114 home loss to New York that same day. The matchup features two of the league’s most versatile and productive young players in a stretch of elite form. Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson is averaging 22.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists over his last 10 games, posting four triple-doubles in that span. In the win over the Warriors, he had 23 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Portland counters with Deni Avdija, who is averaging 28.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.0 assists over his last 10 contests, including a 41-point outburst against Houston on Jan. 7. He scored 25 in the loss to the Knicks. Both teams have shown recent potency on offense. Atlanta has scored 117 or more points in six of its last seven games. Portland averaged 120.2 points during its five-game win streak before Sunday’s setback. The Hawks have found rhythm after a 1-4 skid in late December, with Johnson facilitating and Onyeka Okongwu providing a strong interior presence. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 24 points off the bench against Golden State. The Trail Blazers’ surge has been fueled by Avdija’s all-around play and backcourt support from Shaedon Sharpe and Caleb Love, who combined for 44 points against New York. With nearly identical records, the game carries weight for postseason positioning in their respective conferences. Atlanta sits 10th in the East, while Portland is 11th in the West. The Hawks continue a five-game road trip, while the Blazers open a brief two-game homestand before heading to Sacramento on Sunday.