Toronto Raptors vs Atlanta Hawks Prediction & Match Preview - January 31st, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Atlanta Hawks will extend their home stand as they host the Toronto Raptors for their next matchup at the State Farm Arena on Monday night.
The Raptors will head into this game on the back of a thrilling 124-120 triple-OT win against the Miami Heat. Preventing a losing slide in the process, the Raptors found themselves at 24-23 on the season following the win.
The Atlanta Hawks will also continue their winning ways. Having recorded their seventh consecutive win following a 129-121 win against the LA Lakers, the Hawks are slowly returning to competitive fashion.
Monday night's game will be the first matchup of the four-game series between the two teams. Looking to get an early lead, the competition should be an exciting one.
Match Details
Fixture - Toronto Raptors vs Atlanta Hawks | 2021-22 NBA Season
Date & Time - Monday, January 31st, 2022; 7:30 PM ET (Tuesday, February 1st, 2022; 6:00 AM IST)
Venue - State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Toronto Raptors Preview
The Toronto Raptors have managed to turn their season around following their latest win against the Miami Heat. After falling off drastically on the back of health and injury issues, the Raptors found themselves at 24-23 with the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference table.
The win against Miami was an absolute thriller. With neither side giving up any quarter, the hard fought battle would see Toronto emerge as victors in the triple-OT.
Although Miami's lead had ballooned in the second and third quarters, a fourth-quarter surge led by Gary Trent Jr. and Pascal Siakam would see Toronto through to OT.
.@gtrentjr goin' to work 💪 https://t.co/KNOt9Fq4d3
Although Trent Jr. led the scoring, Toronto enjoyed a balanced output from their entire starting rotation. With four players recording 20+ points, the Toronto Raptors managed to pull away to secure a much-needed win.
Key Player - Fred VanVleet
Fred VanVleet will be a key player for the Toronto Raptors in their upcoming fixture in Atlanta.
VanVleet has been an integral piece in the Raptors' overall scheme. Although undersized, the Raptors guard has shown an extensive skillset which allows him to be an effective scorer.
FRED FROM THE LOGO 😤 https://t.co/kfSTkFimcw
After missing time under health and safety protocols, VanVleet has returned as a solid contributor for the Toronto Raptors.
VanVleet registers a season average of 21.7 points per game. Although his last 10 games have seen a drop-off in scoring and he has been shooting relatively poorly from the field, he is due to have a big scoring night.
Considering the burden placed upon the Raptors' starting rotation, VanVleet will have to carry his weight in order to make Toronto a competitive side.
Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup
G - Fred VanVleet | G - Gary Trent Jr. | F - OG Anunoby | F - Scottie Barnes | C - Pascal Siakam
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Atlanta Hawks Preview
The Atlanta Hawks appear to have made a mid-season surge to return to playoff contention. After an abysmal start to the season and a poor home record, the Hawks have seen a revival as they rack up their seventh consecutive win following Sunday's win against LA.
The win against LA saw a tremendous performance by the Atlanta Hawks' leading duo of Trae Young and John Collins. With the two combining for 56 points in the game, the Hawks also saw meaningful contributions from Clint Capela and some key late-game scoring by Onyeka Okongwu.
Onyeka Okongwu going nuclear here in Atlanta leading the Hawks back https://t.co/Pq7wvbBUDH
Young played like a master against the Lakers. Finding his teammates on open looks and knocking down clutch three-point shots to take the lead, Trae Young rightfully sees himself as an All-Star starter this season.
Hoping to continue their rise up the leaderboard, the Hawks will have a lot of ground to cover if they hope to make a playoff appearance this season.
Key Player - Clint Capela
A key player for the Atlanta Hawks in their upcoming home fixture will be Clint Capela.
Although Capela isn't a dominant scoring force such as Trae Young or an effective three-level scorer such as John Collins, Capela acts as a reliable rim protector and a lob threat for the Hawks.
Team ball leads to the easy bucket inside! 👀
Clint Capela finishes down low! 😤
https://t.co/jd1y1xxjKZ
Capela is essential to Atlanta's interior defense and rebounding. With nine rebounds in the game against the Lakers, Capela also had four offensive rebounds that secured second-chance opportunities for the side.
Heading into the matchup against the Toronto Raptors, Capela will have to work incredibly hard to create such rebounding opportunities. Considering the size at Toronto's disposal, Capela and Collins will have to be aggressive in their approach to scoring in the paint as they hope to secure another win for the Atlanta Hawks.
Atlanta Hawks Predicted Lineup
G - Trae Young | G - Kevin Huerter | F - De'Andre Hunter | F - John Collins | C - Clint Capela
Raptors vs Hawks Match Predictions
The Toronto Raptors vs. Atlanta Hawks matchup may prove to be an entertaining one. With both teams at full strength and their respective systems in full flow, the game could go either way.
Both sides feature solid guards and big men in their rotations. The difference maker could be three-point shooting and rebounding. An additional factor will be fatigue. With Toronto's starters playing 50+ minutes each in the game against Miami, the fatigue will take a toll as they hit the road for this game.
Considering Atlanta has enjoyed some success at home as of late and has some significant momentum as they head into their next game, they could be favored slightly more.
Where to watch Raptors vs Hawks game?
The Toronto Raptors vs Atlanta Hawks game will be locally broadcast on Bally Sports Southeast. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can listen to the game by tuning into WZGC and 92.9 The Game.
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