The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Toronto Raptors 132-121 Saturday night.
The win snaps a three-game losing streak for the Hawks, and it also marks their first win against the Raptors since 2017.
Six Hawks, including all five starters, scored double-figures in a balanced effort.
Trae Young posted a team-high 28 points and 13 assists. He displayed his full arsenal, knocking down deep threes and making highlight-reel assists. He also made all 14 of his free throws.
Clint Capela finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds. He also remained a force on the defensive end, contesting shots and finishing with four blocks.
John Collins did it all tonight, as he scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished four assists and blocked three shots.
“I want to have the ability to do all things at all times. I try to be the best all-around player,” Collins said.
Kevin Huerter had it going on the offensive end, especially from deep and finished with 19 points. The sharpshooter went 6-9 from the field and 5-8 from three-point range while continuing to show signs of improved perimeter defense.
Lloyd Pierce’s team played together and moved the ball well. Thirty-one of their 42 made shots came off of assists. Their defensive effort, anchored by Capela, made life difficult for Toronto, who shot just 42% on the night.
“It was a high-paced game, but I think defensively we played good. Offensively we are able to execute better tonight and were efficient,” Capela said.
The Hawks also shot a blistering 53% from three, led by Huerter’s five. They made the Raptors’ defense pay whenever they got open shots.
The Raptors played the Hawks tough, and the game was competitive throughout. Head coach Nick Nurse got key contributions with three players scoring 20+ points.
Chris Boucher set a career-high with 29 points and also had ten rebounds. His emergence into a two-way player is a great story, and he has taken advantage of his larger team role this year. He almost secured a double-double last night against the Brooklyn Nets.
Fred VanVleet posted 25 points, six rebounds and ten assists. He also made 10-11 free throws in a team-high 39 minutes.
Norman Powell had it going early in the first half. His slashing to the rim caused havoc for the Atlanta defense. Powell finished with 20 points, but his scoring cooled down in the second half as the defense tightened.
Atlanta’s ball movement was a thing of beauty, and the team execution down the stretch was one of the keys to victory.
“We did a really good job in the fourth quarter of handling their pressure on both ends.
We got stops, and we also executed down the stretch, and we were very locked in,” Young said.
Overall, an excellent effort for Atlanta in a game they desperately needed after losing their first three of this homestand.
The Hawks will get some needed rest before traveling to take on the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night at the American Airlines Center.
