Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 2/4/2022

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON

Where to watch: TSN, BSSE-ATL

DraftKings: Raptors -1.5

BetMGM: Raptors -1.5

Caesars: NL

Raptors: 27-23 (7th, East)

Hawks: 25-26 (10th, East)

There haven't been many instances this season where I can look at the Toronto Raptors and definitively say that they were coming off a very good win. That changed on Thursday night when they defeated the Chicago Bulls in overtime against their former friend DeMar DeRozan.

Now coming in on the second night of a back-to-back with Toronto at home, I do like their chances going against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday in Toronto, with the Hawks also playing the second night of a back-to-back but off a more emotionally charged victory.

That's not to say that what the Raptors did on Thursday wasn't season-defining or anything of the sort. The Raptors knocked off the top team in the Eastern Conference on a night where Fred VanVleet was named in All-Star for the very first time in his NBA career.

VanVleet, who leads the NBA in minutes played, played 42 minutes and scored 21 points with nine assists in Toronto’s balanced victory over Chicago. The Raptors guard was one of six players to score in double figures, led by Pascal Siakam 25 points and 13 rebounds, with Toronto improving to 27-23 this season.

it has been a season worthy of a grind for the Raptors who have had to deal with COVID instances not just within their own organization, but within the city of Toronto as well. They're not playing in front of hardly any fans, and they have not been awarded the same luxuries that other teams South of the border have had the luxury of dealing with.

But this just goes to show that nick nurse is one of the best coaches in the NBA. And for him to have his group four games above 500 with 32 games to go is a testament to how gritty and tough the Raptors have been this season.

At the end of the day, the Raptors' success in the playoffs is going to hinder what Siakam can do on a nightly basis. While this season has been the year of VanVleet, as well as the emergence of OG Anunoby and the development of rookie Scottie Barnes, Toronto will still go as far as their other All-Star will go.

Now I can understand why there might be some hesitancy in taking Toronto in this game because if Trae Young was not here scoring 43 points and knocking off the top of the league Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, we might not be in this predicament.

It has been a struggle for the Hawks but they seem to have turned the corner at the right time. Atlanta picked up its 25th win of the season mostly behind Young's 43 points, but also got 19 points each from John Collins and Kevin Huerter, with the Hawks shooting a blistering 52% from the field and making twenty of their 41 three-point attempts.

Anytime you can shoot 52% and offset the Phoenix Suns shooting 52% of their own, you've done something right. The biggest difference here was the Suns were held to just nine of 32 shooting from 3 point range, which is highly uncharacteristic from the best team in the NBA at this moment.

If the Hawks weren't playing the second night of a back-to-back and had to travel to a different country for this game I would more than likely take Atlanta fresh off that victory to get those job done again. However, with the Raptors not needing to travel, and coming off an emotionally charged wind themselves, I like Toronto in a very close game one that might not cover for the favorite but it will be very fruitful for the underdog. Raptors by 4

The Hawks are 9-15 ATS on the road this season.

The Hawks are 3-6 ATS on Friday games this season.

The Raptors are 7-3 against Southeast Division teams this season.

PG: Trae Young

SG: Kevin Huerter
SF: De'Andre Hunter
PF: John Collins
C: Clint Capela

PG: Fred VanVleet

SG: Gary Trent Jr.
SF: OG Anunoby
PF: Scottie Barnes
C: Pascal Siakam

Hawks: Lou Williams (back, out), John Collins (shoulder, questionable)

Raptors: None