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Hawks return home to take on Blazers

Mar 12, 2011 - 4:08 PM (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Hawks couldn't avoid the running of the Chicago Bulls Friday night in the Windy City, so they'll try to get back in gear this evening versus the Portland Trail Blazers in the opener of a six-game homestand at Philips Arena.

Atlanta was trounced, 94-76, by the Bulls, as MVP candidate Derrick Rose pumped in 34 points and sank 14 of his 15 foul shots to lead the charge. The Hawks were led by Joe Johnson's 16 points and got 15 from Josh Smith in the team's fourth consecutive setback.

"We played great offensively and defensively in the first half. In the second half it was like we forgot everything we did in the first half," said Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich, who had 11 points.

Jamal Crawford added 14 points off the bench in a losing cause.

The Hawks will also host the Bucks, Nuggets, Heat, Pistons and Bulls on the residency, and are 18-12 at home this season. They have dropped three straight games as the host and sit fifth in the conference standings.

Portland is percentage points ahead of New Orleans for sixth in the West and resides one game behind Denver for the fifth seed. The Blazers hit a bump in the road with Friday's 97-92 loss in Charlotte, ending a four-game overall winning streak and a seven-game run as the guest.

Wesley Matthews scored 20 points and Gerald Wallace, in his return to Charlotte since a trade before the deadline, had 13 points and nine rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who fell to 2-1 on a four-game road trip and 16-18 as the visitor this season.

"We were not sharp throughout the game," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "When you try to flip a switch and turn it on, a lot of the time in this game it does not happen. I thought that was how we played."

Andre Miller finished with 15 points and nine assists, while LaMarcus Aldridge, the Western Conference Player of the Month for February, compiled 15 points and 10 boards in defeat. Aldridge is averaging 25.3 ppg since Dec. 15 (40 games) and the Blazers are only 7-18 when he scores less than 20 points.

Portland is 30-10 when Aldridge nets 20-plus points.

Atlanta defeated Portland, 90-83, on Feb. 27 this season in the Rose City behind 23 points from Crawford and 22 out of Johnson. The Hawks have won four in a row against the Blazers.