Raptors vs. Hawks Prediction Can the Toronto Raptors go on the road and cover a big spread when they face the struggling Atlanta Hawks tonight at 7:30PM ET? Game Snapshot & Odds 577 Toronto Raptors vs. 578 Atlanta Hawks Thursday, February 7, 2019 7:30PM ET – State Farm Arena Compare odds and from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our new NBA Odds & Betting Page. Public Betting Trends According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, the Raptors are favored on the road, as they are getting odds of -8.5 points against the Hawks. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 227.5 points. The public betting for this game currently is unavailable. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our NBA Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game. Raptors looking for win streak Toronto is coming off back-to-back wins over the Clippers and 76ers this week. They also have covered the spread in both wins. The Raptors are 39-16 overall, 17-11 on the road, 25-30 against the spread and 30-25 with the over. The Raptors are putting up 113.9 points per game on offense while shooting 47 percent from the field. Defensively, Toronto is giving up just 108.5 points per game while limiting opponents to 45.3 percent shooting. Jonas Valanciunas has been out for extended time due to a thumb injury, but he is questionable to return tonight. He last played on Dec. 12 and averaged 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this year. Kawhi Leonard is leading the team with 27.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest. Hawks end long road trip Atlanta wrapped up a 7-game road trip on Monday with a 137-129 win at Washington. The Hawks actually won their last two games and were 4-3 against the spread over the road trip. Atlanta is now 18-35 overall, 8-13 at home, 24-29 against the spread and 30-23 with the over. The Hawks have the league’s worst defense, allowing 118.2 points per game while opponents shoot 47.6 percent against them. Offensively, Atlanta is putting up 110.9 points per contest. John Collins is leading the team with 19.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest while rookie Trae Young is adding 16.8 points and 7.4 assists per contest. NBA Betting Trends Toronto The Raptors are 3-10 against the spread in their last 13 road games and 0-5 ATS in their last five Thursday games. Atlanta The Hawks are 0-6 against the spread in their last six Thursday games and 1-4 ATS in their last five following a win. Prediction: Atlanta hasn’t had a home game since Jan. 21, which was a loss to the Magic. While the Hawks didn’t play too bad on the road, I think tonight’s game will be difficult for them. Toronto can score and should put up a big total against this really poor defense. Offensively, Atlanta is inconsistent. While the Hawks could get hot by returning home, Toronto won’t make it easy on them. The Raptors have a lot of length, especially if they get Valanciunas back. Look for Toronto to lock in on defense and earn the cover. NBA Prediction: Toronto Raptors -8.5<doc-sep>Though some fireworks occurred for the Atlanta Hawks in advance of the NBA trade deadline, the roster for Lloyd Pierce’s team remained largely intact ahead of Thursday’s face-off with the Toronto Raptors. In fact, the bizarre dynamic in play with Atlanta’s first game of an extended homestand came from the undermanned nature of the Raptors, with Toronto only having nine available players to deploy after a series of transactions. Still, it was the visitors that were stronger in the second half and the end result was a 119-101 defeat for the Hawks. Offensively, the Hawks began on a high note, making six of their first ten shots on the way to a slight early edge. Trae Young got things going in a hurry, with four quick points including some post-play acrobatics. Trae Young received his Rookie of the Month award tonight. Here is the type of play that helped him earn it. pic.twitter.com/BFnhvZfGfA — FOX Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnFSSE) February 8, 2019 We are **fully** committed to Trae Young's celebratory skips. pic.twitter.com/SZvqRxn5Sn — FOX Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnFSSE) February 8, 2019 From there, the hot shooting continued as Kent Bazemore, DeAndre’ Bembry and Vince Carter (twice) all connected on threes to key a 14-2 run that gave the home team a 31-17 lead. Eventually, the Hawks settled in to an 11-point lead after 12 minutes of play and positive things continued into the second frame. Atlanta opened a blistering 13 of 17 (!) from beyond the arc and Taurean Prince was five of his first six from long distance. Taurean Prince has made 9 of his last 10 threes. Is that good? pic.twitter.com/SoxyGYGpcB — FOX Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnFSSE) February 8, 2019 The Hawks led by as many as 17 in the second period but the Raptors eventually awakened. Toronto used a spurt of 11 consecutive points to climb within a 66-60 margin and, while Prince scored the final bucket of the half for Atlanta, the Hawks took only an eight-point lead into the break. Atlanta’s 13 three-pointers tied for a season-high for a half of play and, in general, the offense was lights-out. Between the scalding-hot shooting and only five turnovers, the Hawks did more than enough on that end of the floor, though the Raptors were able to score effectively (especially late in the half) in their own right. A half fullll of threes. | presented by @verizon pic.twitter.com/TZjJWt9V7A — Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 8, 2019 The third quarter was not as kind to the Hawks in an overall sense, and the Raptors put the pedal to the floor immediately. Toronto used a 15-5 run to take the lead at 75-73 and Atlanta’s offense (finally) sputtered. To their credit, the Hawks did respond with six straight points from Young and John Collins to reclaim the edge, albeit briefly. John is out here giving free previews. pic.twitter.com/FFYMUF8EGD — FOX Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnFSSE) February 8, 2019 The Raptors (again) scored eight straight from there, however, and Toronto carried a three-point lead to the fourth quarter. All told, the Hawks shot just 7-of-18 from the floor and 1-of-6 from three in the third period, representing a far cry from the red-hot performance of the early going. Though the less than stellar performance continued to start the fourth quarter, there was an infusion of energy in the form of a throwback dunk from Carter. That was the lone bright spot in the opening minutes, however, with the Raptors blitzing the Hawks to the tune of a 15-4 run. That spurt gave Toronto full control with a 103-89 lead and fewer than eight minutes remaining on the clock, leaving Atlanta in a vulnerable position. From there, the crushing blow is imminent, as the Raptors pushed the margin to 110-92 and that essentially ended the threat. Young and Prince led the way for the Hawks statistically, with the rookie point guard finishing with 19 points, five rebounds and five assists and the third-year forward scoring 19 points and knocking down five threes. Elsewhere, Collins produced a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds but, in general, Atlanta’s offense sputtered mightily in the second half and that was the death blow on this particular night. Following this defeat, he Hawks will play host to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday at State Farm Arena. Stay tuned.<doc-sep>Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet both had career nights in the Raptors' 119-101 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. The Toronto Raptors got their 40th win of the season on Thursday, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 119-101. After giving up 66 points the Hawks in the first half, Toronto dug in defensively and held Atlanta to just 33% shooting from the field in the second-half. MORE: Did the Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers or Milwaukee Bucks make the best move of the trade deadline? The Raptors are now 2-0 on their three-game road trip, with the Knicks on deck in New York on Saturday night. With only three games remaining before the All-Star break, Toronto sits just one game behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the league. The Bucks, however, hold the tiebreaker due to winning the season series. Here are four takeaways from Thursday night's Raptors' win. Digging deep The Raptors had a slow start to the game, falling behind by 11 points by the end of the first quarter and trailing by as many as 17 in the first half. Maybe it was somewhat of a trade deadline hangover or finding out that Kawhi Leonard would be sitting out his 15th game just minutes before tip. We'll never know, but the energy just wasn't there from the get-go. But once Toronto got into the flow of the game, they turned up the pressure defensively and made it tough for the Hawks in the halfcourt. They turned a 17-point deficit to a 21-point lead late in the fourth quarter en route to the win. Toronto has been praised for their depth all season long, but it was on full display on Thursday with only nine active bodies available on their bench. This win in Atlanta will be one of the better wins of the Raptors' season when we look back on it - on the road, short-handed, an emotional trade deadline and they made no excuses and ended up with a double-digit victory. Pascal Siakam's career night Pascal Siakam stepped up when the Raptors needed him most. With a limited amount of bodies, Siakam knew he would not only have to play a ton of minutes, but those minutes would have to be highly productive. He delivered, finishing with his career-high 33 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. Pascal Siakam becomes the 21st different player in #Raptors history to have a 30-point, 10-rebound game - Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) February 8, 2019 While his offence was incredible all night long, it was his defence - which largely goes unnoticed at times - that made the difference for Toronto. Siakam had two steals and a block on Thursday. He made life tough for every Hawk he guarded on the perimeter and was challenging every shot he could at the rim. When Siakam locks in defensively, he makes the Raptors an elite team on that end of the floor. The only problem is Raptors' fans haven't seen him lock in defensively every night - at times that can be frustrating considering his ability. Fred VanVleet steps up Fred VanVleet is just Mr. Reliable. Whether he has to start, come off the bench, defend at a high level or help close a game, VanVleet has always risen to the occasion. MORE: How major trades impact the Toronto Raptors On Thursday, Toronto needed scoring from FVV and like Siakam, he finished with a career-high 30 points shooting 50% from the field. FVV was also a team-high plus-32. Steady Freddy got it done and it's really no surprise. Pace control The Hawks play at the fastest pace in the league but were unable to make it a track meet on Thursday. Toronto limited their turnovers, committing just eight all game long. They also shot the ball well from the field, finishing the night at 46%. And despite missing most of their frontcourt, they were able to get on the offensive glass (12 off-rebs) and keep Atlanta from sprinting down the court in transition. Thursday's performance was the perfect recipe to neutralize one of the league's fastest teams. Honourable Mention Kyle Lowry heard his name in trade rumours all week leading up to Thursday's deadline and in the end, he's still a Raptor. On Thursday he reminded Toronto fans why he's the heart and soul of the team, finishing with 13 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. There can be chaos around Lowry, but on game day he'll always show up. Vince Carter finished with nine points, two rebounds and a block in 16 minutes on Thursday. He also passed Jerry West for 25th on the all-time scoring list. Another accolade in an incredible Hall-of-Fame worthy career.<doc-sep>Kawhi Leonard will miss his 15th game this season with a sore left knee. Kawhi Leonard will be out of Thursday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Leonard will sit out the Raptors' third and final matchup with the Hawks due to a left sore knee. This will be the 15th time this season Leonard has sat out of the Raptors lineup, the team is 11-3 without him. Toronto reportedly struck a deal to acquire Grizzlies' big man Marc Gasol ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. With the trade not yet official, the Raptors will be shorthanded with Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright and C.J. Miles expected to be shipped to Memphis. Head coach Nick Nurse told the media pregame to expect to see Pascal Siakam at centre on Thursday night according to Blake Murphy of the Athletic. A lot of Siakam at C tonight with Raptors so small and shorthanded, Nurse says. Starters could change to balance things out but hadn't decided yet. - Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) February 7, 2019 Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Jordan Loyd, Danny Green, Patrick McCaw, Norman Powell, O.G. Anunoby, Serge Ibaka and Siakam will be the nine men available for Nurse to use on the road in Atlanta.<doc-sep>
Could this be the last time Vince Carter plays against the Toronto Raptors? Who's Playing Matchup: Toronto Raptors vs. Atlanta Hawks Records: Raptors (39-16); Hawks (18-35) Where to Watch Date: Thursday, Feb. 7 Time: 7:30 p.m. TV: TSN 1/4 Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA Game Preview The Hawks might have one of the worst records in the NBA this season, but they've been competitive lately. Since their loss to the Raptors on Jan. 8, Atlanta has the 10th-best offensive rating in the league, trailing Milwaukee and Toronto in the standings by less than one point per 100 possessions. They're 6-7 over that stretch, with victories over the Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, LA Clippers and Washington Wizards. Atlanta's one-two punch of Trae Young and John Collins has been a huge reason for the team's recent success. Young is averaging 20.8 points, 7.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds over the last month and Collins has been good for 21.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Kevin Huerter has also given the Hawks a scoring and playmaking punch, with 13.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. Huerter didn't play in the last meeting between the two teams, but both Young and Collins showed out, combining for 40 points, 19 rebounds and six assists. For the Raptors to leave Atlanta with their third straight win following victories over the Clippers and 76ers, they'll have to contain those three players on Thursday. Notes Kawhi Leonard will miss Thursday's game with a sore knee Kyle Lowry is coming off of a 20-point performance against the 76ers on Monday. It was only his second 20-point game over the last month. If this is Vince Carter's final season, this will be the last matchup of his NBA career with the Raptors. Trae Young finished second in our most recent Rookie Ladder for games played since Jan. 23. The only rookie ahead of him? Luka Doncic. The Raptors will close this three-game road trip on Saturday against the New York Knicks. Their next six games will be at home. Last Time They Played Date: Jan. 8, 2019 Score: Raptors 104, Hawks 101 Raptors: Kawhi Leonard - 31 points, 6 assists, 6 steals, 4 rebounds Hawks: John Collins - 21 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal