1st Quarterly Report
Fortunes may be turning for the Hawks after losing five in a row. They jumped out to a quick 30-24 lead against the Raptors.
The Hawks came into the matchup with a little extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We will see if they are able to flip the script or if it will just be more of the same.
Who Plays
Atlanta Hawks @ Toronto Raptors
Current Records: Atlanta 9-14, Toronto 10-14
How to Look
- When: Friday, December 15, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET
- Where: Scotiabank Arena — Toronto, Ontario
- Television: Bally Sports – South East
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $22.41
What to Know
The Raptors and the Hawks are even 5-5 against each other since March of 2021, but not for long. The Toronto Raptors will be home for the holidays to welcome the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 pm ET on Friday at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors have been dropping the ball more recently, as they have increased their point total in each of their last three games.
Last Wednesday, Toronto was able to grind out a solid win over Atlanta, taking the game 135-128. The Raptors were down 50-38 with 9:21 left in the second quarter but they still came back for the convenient seven-point victory.
The Raptors’ success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Pascal Siakam led the charge by scoring 33 points along with seven assists and seven rebounds. Another player making a difference was Scottie Barnes, who dropped a double-double in 27 points and ten rebounds.
Toronto’s win bumped their record to 10-14. As for Atlanta, they are on a five-game losing streak that has dropped them to 9-14.
This contest is one where the number of possessions will likely be a big factor: The Raptors haven’t given up the ball easily this season, only averaging 13.5 turnovers per game. However, it’s not like the Hawks are struggling in that department as they averaged just 13.2 turnovers per game. Given these competing forces, it will be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Looking ahead, the Raptors are expected to win a tight contest, barring some buzzer beaters. For those looking to play the spread, remember Toronto’s opponent: they have a solid 7-3 record against the spread against Atlanta over their last ten matchups.
Probability
Toronto is a slight 2-point favorite against Atlanta, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feeling for the line for this one, because the game opened with the Raptors as a 2.5-point favorite.
The oddsmakers expect fireworks from the offense and set the over/under at a high 242.5 points.
See NBA picks for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get options now.
Series History
Toronto and Atlanta both have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
- December 13, 2023 – Toronto 135 vs. Atlanta 128
- January 14, 2023 – Atlanta 114 vs. Toronto 103
- November 19, 2022 – Atlanta 124 vs. Toronto 122
- Oct 31, 2022 – Toronto 139 vs. Atlanta 109
- Apr 05, 2022 – Toronto 118 vs. Atlanta 108
- February 26, 2022 – Atlanta 127 vs. Toronto 100
- Feb 04, 2022 – Toronto 125 vs. Atlanta 114
- Jan 31, 2022 – Toronto 106 vs. Atlanta 100
- Apr 13, 2021 – Atlanta 108 vs. Toronto 103
- March 11, 2021 – Atlanta 121 vs. Toronto 120
Injury Report for the Raptors
- Christian Koloko: out (Illness)
Injury report for the Hawks
- De’Andre Hunter: out (knee)
- Jalen Johnson: out (Wrist)
- AJ Griffin: out (Personal)
- Mouhamed Gueye: out (Back)
- Kobe Bufkin: out (Thumb)
