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Recap: Atlanta Hawks blow 10-point, third quarter lead to Toronto Raptors

By Cannon Wonderlich

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 23: De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Atlanta Hawks attempts a lay up during the fourth quarter of a game against the Toronto Raptors at State Farm Arena on November 23, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 23: De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Atlanta Hawks attempts a lay up during the fourth quarter of a game against the Toronto Raptors at State Farm Arena on November 23, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Hawks dropped another game Saturday night, this time by blowing a 10-point lead in the second half.

Unlike Saturday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons, the best Atlanta Hawks showed up and played well. The Hawks looked solid, when midway through the third quarter, they were leading the Toronto Raptors by 10, but their lead quickly disappeared as they trailed the reigning NBA champions led by as much as 12 in the fourth. The final score was 119-116.

Trae Young led all Hawks tonight, scoring 30 points on 11-23 shooting, along with 10 rebounds and 10 assists — his second career triple-double. According to the Hawks PR Twitter account, Young is the third player in Atlanta Hawks history to have a 30-point triple-double — and the first since 1974. Young’s historic game was highlighted by a crazy step-back jumper from the logo:

De’Andre Hunter kept his hot streak alive by dropping 26 points on 58.8 percent from the field and an impressive 6-10 from behind the arc. Over the last few games, Hunter has quietly thrown his name in the Rookie of the Year race, as he’s averaged 16.7 points per game on 45.0 percent shooting.

Other notable performances came from Jabari Parker (13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals), DeAndre’ Bembry (11 points, 5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 4-6 from the field), and Allen Crabbe (10 points, 5-6 from the field). Vince Carter was also much improved from his abysmal shooting night against the Detroit Pistons. Saturday night, he contributed eight points on 3-7 shooting from the field.

Cam Reddish and Kevin Huerter were both sidelined from this game as they recover from a wrist and shoulder injury respectively. John Collins also missed the game due to his suspension. Reddish should return shortly, while Huerter and Collins are each a few weeks away from their returns.

On the other side of the court, the Raptors showed up. Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 34 points, followed by Fred VanVleet with 25 points and 9 assists, and Norman Powell with 20 points.  Notably, the Raptors were missing Kyle Lowry with a fractured thumb and Serge Ibaka with a sprained ankle. After defeating the Hawks, the Raptors improved to 11-4.

The Atlanta Hawks have now lost six straight games, and their playoff hopes are rapidly disappearing. If they want to make a push for the postseason, they need John Collins to return and they need be able to close out when they had a lead like they did against the Raptors.

Atlanta will look to rebound from this loss and end their losing streak on Monday when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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