Blazers' Turner returns from 6-week absence in win over Hawks

The Portland Trail Blazers got a bit of reinforcement Saturday night, as they continued their spirited late-season playoff push with a tidy 113-97 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Shooting guard Evan Turner was back in the lineup for the first time since fracturing his shooting hand nearly six weeks ago. Perhaps predictably, he had a bit of rust to shake off; he went just 1-of-9 from the field in 19 minutes, finished with more fouls (three) than points, and posted a team-worst minus-6 rating.

He did, however, contribute in a few areas, dishing three dimes, blocking a shot, and grabbing eight rebounds - including a team-high four offensive boards.

Turner struggled for much of the season before suffering the injury, and the Blazers were dramatically better without him on the floor. But after a bumpy start with his new team, there were signs that he was figuring things out.

Before Saturday night's game, he'd averaged 10.6 points and 3.9 assists after the calendar flipped to 2017, while shooting 46 percent from the field and posting a plus-2.7 individual net rating. The latter ranked second on the team in the new year before Jusuf Nurkic showed up.