NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors
Date: Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Venue: Air Canada Centre, Toronto
Teams Status: Atlanta (25-14) : Toronto (13-24)
Previous Games: Toronto (defeated Sacramento Kings) - Atlanta (defeated Indiana Pacers)
The Toronto Raptors will host the Atlanta Hawks tonight, hoping to stay in the win column after an impressive home victory against Sacramento in the previous game. However, the visiting team is on a roll and rearing to win their
fifth consecutive game, after a winter storm forced a postponement of their previous game against Milwaukee Bucks. Toronto is allowing 105.3 points per game - among the league's worst while Atlanta is averaging 108.3 during a three-game road-winning streak.
Toronto Raptors
The performance of the Raptors is not impressive in this season. They have won only thirteen out of the 37 games played so far. Thanks to game-high 30 points from Andrea Bargnani in the last game, the Raps held off the Sacramento
Kings 118-112 in the previous game at the Air Canada Center.
After a DeMarcus Cousins layup cut Toronto's lead to one with just over a minute remaining, Bargnani hit his second 3-pointer of the game to put the Raptors up four. After a missed three from Francisco Garcia on the next possession,
the Raptors added to their lead and were able to escape with the victory.
DeRozan continues to emerge as a rising star for the Raps. His 28 points in the last match was his second-highest total this season. The sophomore is averaging 23.8 points during his last six games.
"He's starting to really come into his own as an offensive player, especially when he can drive the ball to the basket like he did tonight," Toronto coach Jay Triano said of DeRozan, second on the team with 14.8 points per game.
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta’s performance during the season is impressive as they won twenty-five matches of the season and lost only fourteen.
Atlanta Hawks had eleven 3-pointers in the previous game as they routed the visiting Pacers 108-93 at the Philips Arena. Josh Smith led the way with 27 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocked shots. Joe Johnson added 24 points
and Jamal Crawford contributed 20 points in the Hawks' ninth straight win over Indiana. Al Horford also registered 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists.
The Hawks were leading the game by 55-50 at the intermission. Neither team shot well in the third quarter as Indiana made eight of 24 attempts and Atlanta had nine of 25. Josh Smith and Mike Bibby carried the action in the third,
combining for 26 of the Hawks' 29 points. Atlanta widened their lead to as many as 20 late in the game and rolled on for a win.
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