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The Atlanta Hawks are Running Out of Time

Atlanta's road ahead becomes more challenging after loss in Portland.
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On Monday night, the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 129-125. It was the first of a five-game Western Conference road trip and a matchup that Atlanta could not afford to lose.

To their credit, Atlanta played well. Without Trae Young (ankle soreness), Atlanta had more rebounds, free throws, and committed fewer turnovers. They just happened to find themselves on the wrong side of another masterclass taught by Damian Lillard.

The perennial NBA All-Star led Portland to victory with an efficient 42-point performance. Lillard's teammates stepped up, hitting 19-40 (47.5%) three-point attempts, which helped keep Atlanta at bay throughout the game.

Not only does Atlanta get off on the wrong foot of their road trip, but they find themselves in an uncomfortable place that is eerily familiar. Atlanta again falls below .500 with a record of 25-26 - the same record the team had after 51 games last season.

However, last year's team was better. They had a top-two offense, and Young was en route to a historic individual season culminating in All-NBA honors. Last year's team finished with the 14th-highest net rating, while this year's squad is bottom-seven in net rating.

Atlanta should be enjoying better than subpar results after depleting their future draft capital as part of the Dejounte Murray trade. The losses are not Murray's fault, as his production remains close to his last season in San Antonio.

There is no time for finger-pointing as Atlanta must face Phoenix, Denver, Utah, and New Orleans over the night eight days. After the team arrives back from its road trip, two days will remain until the NBA trade deadline. It is now or never for this version of the Hawks.