Raptors vs. Hawks Preview
Atlanta, GA (AP) – After a snowstorm resulted in the postponement of a home game last month, the Atlanta Hawks were able to muster up enough energy to defeat the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre.
The way the Raptors are struggling, another storm could provide a much-needed break in the schedule.
The Hawks look to win their sixth straight home game in the series Wednesday night as the Raptors try to avoid their first 13-game losing streak in nine seasons.
According to NBA odds and oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the Hawks 11-point spread favorites for Wednesday’s game against the Raptors. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 83% of more than 102 bets for this game have been placed on the Raptors +11.
With a home game against Milwaukee postponed Jan. 11 due to a snowstorm, the Hawks didn’t leave for their game the following night in Toronto until 10 p.m.
Atlanta (30-18) still managed to win its third in a row over the Raptors, 104-101 as Mike Bibby made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds left. Jamal Crawford paced the Hawks with a season-high 36 points.
Toronto (13-36) was supposed to fly to Atlanta following a 104-93 loss at Indiana on Monday, but a severe snowstorm developing in the Midwest caused its flight to be canceled. The team spent the night in Indianapolis.
If the Raptors can get to Atlanta, they will look to avoid their first 13-game skid since Feb. 12-March 7, 2002.
“We have to be frustrated,” guard Jose Calderon said after scoring 13 points with seven assists Monday. “Everybody is thinking we want to win. We have to keep working and take the positive parts. We just have to keep working and stay together.”
If Toronto is going to end an eight-game road losing streak, the club will likely need a better effort from its top two scorers.
Andrea Bargnani, averaging a team-best 21.1 points, is scoring 16.7 per game and shooting 27.4 percent in the last three. DeMar DeRozan is averaging 9.0 points over that stretch, 6.4 fewer than his season average.
“It’s my fault (they’re struggling) probably because I had to play the (expletive) out of them for nine games in a row when we had no other bodies, so they played 44 minutes per game and are probably worn down a little bit,” said coach Jay Triano, whose team last dropped nine in a row on the road during an 0-11 skid from Dec. 1, 2004-Jan. 14, 2005. “… They have to learn to fight through this.”
The Raptors will conclude their three-game trip trying to win in Atlanta for the first time since Dec. 11, 2007.
The Hawks, winners of 12 of 14 at home, are looking to bounce back from a 102-91 loss at Dallas on Saturday. Atlanta was outscored 14-1 in the first five-plus minutes of the fourth quarter and missed 11 of 15 shots in the period.
“This one hurt,” said swingman Joe Johnson, who finished with 27 points and eight boards. “We had total control heading into the fourth quarter. It got out of hand and we couldn’t get back in it.”
The Hawks, shooting 30.4 percent from 3-point range over the last nine games, could fare better against Toronto, which has allowed 100 points or more in each of the last eight contests.
Atlanta has won nine of the last 11 meetings and will try to sweep the season series for the first time since 1998-99.
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