Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors Prediction, Preview, and Odds
The Atlanta Hawks (9-13, 5-17 ATS, 14-8 O/U) meet with the Toronto Raptors (9-14, 11-12 ATS, 12-11 O/U) in a conference bout on Wednesday evening. The Hawks were dealt a home loss by the Nuggets on Monday. The Raptors dropped a road decision to the Knicks in their previous bout. The Hawks went 2-1 against the Raptors last season.
Hawks Begin Road Trek
The Atlanta Hawks begin a three-game road trek on Wednesday. Atlanta is seeking its 10th victory of the season. The squad beat the Spurs on November 30th and proceeded to lose the next three games. They lost a 125-114 road decision to the 76ers on Saturday and were marked 3.5-point dogs in a 129-122 home loss to the Nuggets on Monday. The Nuggets have not covered the spread in five consecutive games.
Trae Young is not to blame for the recent losses. The 25-year-old point guard has netted at least 30 points in three of his last four games. Young is sporting an average of 26.8 PPG. He averaged 25 points in three meetings against the Raptors last season. Dejounte Murray is in a groove, reaching 20 points in three of his last four bouts. The 27-year-old shooting guard recorded 30 points in a recent defeat to the Bucks and is averaging 20 PPG on 45% shooting. Bogdan Bogdanovic scored a remarkable 40 points on Monday. The 31-year-old shooting guard is posting an average of 17.2 PPG and 3.4 RPG.
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 12, 2023
Atlanta is not having success on the road, going 1-4 in their last five road bouts. They did not cover in any games in that span. Atlanta is scoring an average of 122.2 points on the season, good for third. The defense has been an issue, conceding at least 125 points in four of their last five games and are squandering an average of 122.8 points, pegging them 28th.
Raptors Dealt Another Defeat
The Toronto Raptors begin a four-game homestand on Wednesday. Toronto is stumbling, losing four consecutive games. They beat the Suns in the last game of November and have struggled to generate enough scoring to win games in the current slide. They were marked 5.5-point favorites in a 119-116 road loss to Charlotte on Friday and a 3.5-point dog in a 136-130 road loss to the Knicks on Monday. The Raptors have covered the spread in one of their last five bouts.
Pascal Siakam has collected at least 20 points in five consecutive performances. The 29-year-old power forward scored 30 in a recent loss to the Heat and has delivered an average of 20.7 PPG on 50% shooting. He posted an average of 23 points in two meetings against the Hawks last year. Scottie Barnes has eclipsed 20 points in four of his last five games. The 22-year-old small forward netted 20 points on Monday and has issued an average of 19.8 PPG accompanied by 9 RPG on the year. Dennis Schroder is slumping, shooting 32% this month. The veteran point guard is averaging 15.3 PPG on only 42% shooting.
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— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) December 12, 2023
Toronto is 3-2 in their last five home games, covering in three of those five clashes. This includes a loss to the Heat. The squad has not been able to break out offensively, averaging only 111.9 points, marking them 23rd. They rely on defense to win games but have allowed at least 119 points in three of their last four bouts. They are conceding 113.8 points, placing them 17th in the NBA.
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The Atlanta Hawks are desperate for a win. Atlanta is competitive on the road where they are .500 on the season. The Toronto Raptors are struggling, dropping four consecutive games including their last two home bouts. They lost to a poor Hornets squad on Friday and the Knicks on Monday.
Furthermore, the Hawks are the superior offensive squad. They are averaging 118.2 points per 100 possessions, good for fifth in the NBA, compared to only 112.2 points per 100 by the Raptors. Atlanta is a threat from beyond the arc where they are shooting 37% on the season. This is key as the Raptors are ranked 24th in three-point defense. The Knicks just shot 59% from deep against them on Monday.
Prediction: Atlanta Hawks -2.5
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I expect plenty of scoring. The Hawks scoring hasn’t been the issue in the recent losses. They have netted an average of 121.4 points in their last five bouts. The Raptors have squandered 119 and 136 points in their last two games respectively.
In addition, Toronto will contribute to this total. The Hawks are a poor defensive squad. They have squandered at least 125 points in four of their last five games. The Hawks play at a quick pace, ranking 3rd in the NBA in pace and that should lead to an increase in scoring from Toronto who has netted 116 and 130 points in their last two bouts. The over is 4-1 in the Hawks' last five games.
Prediction: Over 239.5
Adam has been a sports fanatic his entire life, closely following hockey, baseball, basketball, and football. He enjoys analyzing various stats, as well as studying Sabermetrics and analytics to take his picks to a whole new level. Adam has a passion for writing about various sports as well as personal finance and being an expert sports bettor. Prior to bringing his talents here to Winners and Whiners, Adam graduated with a diploma in business marketing and business finance. You would do yourself a huge favor by following Adam on a daily basis.
