Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors Preview: Raptors Hold on to Second Spot as They Face Surging Hawks
The second-seeded Toronto Raptors will be further battling for their spot, as they face the streaking Atlanta Hawks, next.
The third regular season game between the two teams is slated to take place on Wednesday, March 30th, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The first time the Raptors and Hawks played against each other was last December 2nd in Atlanta, where the visiting team was able to emerge victorious with a final score of 96-86.
In the said contest, Toronto was able to climb their way up from a 17-point deficit in the third quarter, thanks to the combined efforts of guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Lowry dropped a total of 31 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals, shooting 9 out of 17 from the field, through 37 minutes of playing time.
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DeRozan, on the other hand, scored 17 points, along with four rebounds and two assists, shooting 7 out of 16 from the field, through 35 minutes of playing time.
The Raptors put on a repeat performance in the second game last March 2nd, who was then the host team. They were able to achieve victory with a final score of 104-96. DeRozan once again put up significant numbers, scoring 30 points, along with five rebounds, shooting 11 out of 20 from the field, through 37 minutes of playing time.
Lowry also made his own contributions, ending the game with 19 points, seven assists and two steals, shooting 6 out of 14 from the field, through 37 minutes of playing time.
The Hawks are currently on a four-game winning streak, with their most recent one being a mere two-point win over the Chicago Bulls with a final score of 102-100 last Monday at the United Center. And according to head coach Mike Budenholzer, playing in close games is actually something he prefers.
"You want to have some close games and execute and do some things defensively and offensively, feel the pressure a little bit and make some free throws. So it was good to find a way to win on the road in a close game," he said in an NBA.com report.
