The Atlanta Hawks are set to confront the Toronto Raptors in a two-game series, beginning on Saturday night. The matches will take place in Toronto, where the Hawks hope to break the Raptors’ recent dominance over them. Toronto has won the first two encounters of the season series, claiming victories of 138-118 on October 22, 2023, and 109-97 on November 7, 2023.
Currently, the Raptors have achieved four consecutive wins against the Hawks, dating back to last season. Atlanta enters this matchup following a successful back-to-back game, having defeated the New York Knicks 111-99 on Friday, marking their second straight win. Jalen Johnson played a pivotal role in this victory, achieving his seventh triple-double of the season with a remarkable performance of 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. This accomplishment sets a new team record for the most triple-doubles in a single season.
“We’re defending at a high level,” Johnson stated. “So I think if we can sustain that, we’ll give ourselves a chance every single game.”
The Raptors, on the other hand, have had two days of rest after a disappointing 106-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets, who were missing star player Nikola Jokic. Toronto struggled offensively, shooting only 37% from the field—matching their season low. Despite the setback, Scottie Barnes continued to shine for the Raptors. He recorded his eighth career triple-double against Denver, amassing 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists.
“When things are going right, things are going right,” Barnes remarked. “I’m trying to be more intentional on rebounding, pushing the ball in fastbreak. It’s great having RJ (Barrett) back out there. He gets me some free assists with how he runs the floor and his shot-making.”
Barrett has recently returned to action after missing 15 games due to a sprained right knee. In contrast, Jakob Poeltl remains sidelined with a strained lower back. Raptors’ head coach Darko Rajakovic expressed confidence in Barnes’ potential for consistent double-doubles, emphasizing the importance of assists in his performance.
Toronto holds a record of 2-1 during their current five-game homestand, which concludes with the two games against Atlanta. The Hawks, after a challenging stretch that included seven consecutive losses, managed a significant 126-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday prior to their win against the Knicks. In that game, both Onyeka Okongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 23 points each.
“It’s just fun because we are playing free,” Alexander-Walker shared. “Everyone is aggressive to take their shots, and everyone is happy when the other guy has it. Those are little things that are infectious.”
Atlanta has been navigating through key player absences, including that of star guard Trae Young, who is out due to a right quadriceps contusion. In their recent matchup against the Knicks, the Hawks demonstrated strong performance metrics, shooting 47.7% from the field while limiting New York to just 37.1%.
“Just playing the style of game that fits us,” said Hawks coach Quin Snyder. “It felt like we were really scrapping to get rebounds. That gives us a chance to get out in transition. We’ve got some guys that really enjoy passing the ball, and so we were able to generate some good shots, but as much as anything, we just guarded.”
As the Hawks prepare for this critical two-game series, both teams are eager to establish momentum. The outcome of these matches could significantly impact their standings in the competitive Eastern Conference.
