Hawks hope to reverse course in first of two games vs. Raptors

Losers of two straight games, the Atlanta Hawks will look to get back on track and improve their standing in the Eastern Conference on Thursday night when they host the Toronto Raptors.

The Hawks, who hold the seventh seed in the conference, will host Toronto in back-to-back games as the teams wrap up their season series on Saturday.

Atlanta also is coming off the first half of a back-to-back and hopes to flush its worst 3-point-shooting performance of the season. On Wednesday, the Hawks made just 6 of their 38 attempts from long range (15.8 percent) in their 114-104 home loss to the Detroit Pistons.

For Atlanta coach Quin Snyder's team, it was a night to forget on both sides of the ball. Thursday, however, will provide an opportunity for corrections.

"We just weren't focused like we needed to be from a defensive standpoint early in the game," Snyder said. "Then not being able to make a shot, that always exacerbates things. ... It was not the kind of effort that we needed. This is one of the things that is tough about the NBA, but is also a good thing in some situations, is that you play again tomorrow. We've got to be ready to come and compete collectively tomorrow night."

In Wednesday's loss, Dyson Daniels had 20 points, 10 rebounds and two steals.

Trae Young averages a team-best 23.1 points per game and leads the NBA with 11.6 assists per contest. In Atlanta's 136-107 win at Toronto on Dec. 29 in the teams' other meeting this season, Young had 34 points and 10 assists.

The Raptors have a chance to extend a rare strong stretch as they aim for their fourth victory in five tries.

Toronto erased a 21-point deficit in a 109-93 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. It was the Raptors' first victory this season when trailing at halftime.

In what has been a season to forget for Toronto for the most part, the continued development of Scottie Barnes has been a bright spot. Barnes is averaging 19.8 points. 8.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, but it's been his defense that is impressing his head coach.

"I want him to guard the best players on the other team," Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic said of Barnes, who's averaging 1.5 steals per game.

"I think that Scottie is a two-way player. He is so unselfish. He's such a great team leader for our group. When you look at the work that he brings every single night, everything for him is, ‘How do I help my team win?"

Barnes and RJ Barrett (22.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg and 5.9 apg) lead a young Toronto core that's still trying to learn how to win away from home. The Raptors are just 1-19 on the road, the lone victory coming vs. New Orleans on Nov. 27.

The Hawks have won three of four at home against the Raptors since the start of the 2021-22 season.

--Field Level Media