Raptors defeat Hawks for second time in three days

Field Level Media, Photos by Kameron Taylor for the Albany Herald

Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Chris Boucher combined for 70 points to lead the visiting Toronto Raptors to a 117-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday and earn back-to-back road wins for the first time this season.

Toronto swept the two-games-in-three-days series and took the season series 2-1. Toronto won for just the third time in 22 road games and has won three straight in Atlanta. The Hawks have lost four in a row and dropped to 11-10 at home.

Barnes had 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, Barrett added 23 points and eight rebounds, and Boucher came off the bench to score 23.

Atlanta was led by Vit Krejci, who scored a career-high 22 points. Krejci matched his career high with six 3-pointers and had a season-high seven assists.

Trae Young had a miserable game. He scored 16 points, had a season-low four assists — ending a streak of 202 consecutive games with at least five assists — and committed a season-high 11 turnovers.

The Hawks saw their early 12-point lead erased by a 16-2 Toronto run that gave the Raptors a 31-29 lead. There were seven lead changes and six ties in the first half as Toronto built a 55-48.

The Raptors padded their cushion in the third quarter and led 86-70 going into the fourth.

Atlanta cut the lead to 88-79, but the Raptors scored nine straight to take their biggest lead of the game.

Atlanta got Larry Nance Jr. back after he missed 12 games with a broken right hand, but he may have reinjured it after banging it on the backboard late in the third quarter. He was taken to the locker room and did not return to the game.

The Hawks were without De’Andre Hunter, who was scratched before the game due to illness, and Jalen Johnson, who was ruled out indefinitely with a shoulder injury.

Both teams play again on Monday. The Raptors will host New Orleans and the Hawks will play at Minnesota.