Louis Williams (No 23) of the Toronto Raptors scores a basket as Kent Bazemore (No 24) and Dennis Schroder (No 17) of the Atlanta Hawks look on at Philips Arena in Atlanta on Friday. (AFP)
Agencies/Atlanta
The Toronto Raptors proved they’re a team to watch in the Eastern Conference. They also showed once again they can beat the Atlanta Hawks — and in convincing fashion.
The matchup of the Eastern Conference’s top teams turned into rout as Toronto opened the second half of the season with a surprisingly lopsided 105-80 win over the Hawks on Friday night.Lou Williams had 26 points while making seven of 10 3-pointers and DeMar DeRozan had 21 points for Toronto. The Raptors outscored the Hawks 28-13 in the third quarter to turn a close game into a 23-point lead.
Atlanta still has a 5 ½-game lead over Toronto in the Eastern Conference standings, but the Raptors won the season series 3-1. No other team has two wins over the Hawks.
Williams said the Raptors were motivated by Atlanta’s similarly lopsided 110-89 win at Toronto on January 16.
“We were embarrassed on our home court so we wanted to come out and play with that on our mind,” Williams said.
The Raptors won with defense. Williams had four of Toronto’s 15 steals — matching the team’s season high. The Raptors blocked nine shots.
“We were scrambling,” said DeRozan, who had three steals. “We tried not to let them get anything easy. We didn’t want to let them get going, get a rhythm. As long as we do that, we can live with the outcome.”
“You have to give Toronto a lot of credit,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
“They gave it to us good tonight. There are a lot of reason we didn’t play well. They were a big part of that.”
Atlanta’s Al Horford said the Hawks wouldn’t be worried about a matchup with Toronto if the teams meet in the playoffs.
“No. Give them credit, they’re a great team,” Horford said. “But we’re a confident group.” The Hawks have lost four of seven following a team-record 19-game winning streak.
The Hawks and Raptors set team records for wins before the All-Star break, and neither made moves before Thursday’s trade deadline. Toronto backed up that show of confidence in the final regular-season meeting of the clubs.
The Raptors stretched their 49-45 halftime lead with a dominant third quarter. Atlanta made only three of 19 shots. Kyle Korver had a dismal period, missing all five of his shots while committing two turnovers.Budenholzer turned the game over to backups such as Mike Muscala, John Jenkins and Shelvin Mack for much of the final period.
Meanwhile Miami Heat star forward Chris Bosh’s season could be in doubt as doctors were concerned he may have developed blood clots in his lungs, according to the Miami Herald.
Bosh was admitted to a Miami hospital on Thursday after complaining for several days about discomfort in his chest.
He underwent initial tests that proved inconclusive, according to the Heat. The fear is that Bosh could have blood clots in his lungs, the newspaper reported Friday.
If there are clots, Bosh would miss the remainder of the season while being treated with blood thinners for pulmonary embolism. Treatment of such a condition typically requires at least six months of limited physical activity. Bosh, a 10-time All-Star who won two NBA titles with the Heat, was averaging 21.1 points and 7.0 rebounds this season. Last July, he signed a five-year contract that guaranteed him $118 million.
The Sacramento Kings signed guard David Stockton to a 10-day contract. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Stockton is averaging 16.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 2.4 steals and 27.5 minutes in 31 games for the Reno Bighorns, Sacramento’s NBA Development League affiliate.
Stockton went undrafted in 2014 out of Gonzaga University. He is the son of Hall of Fame guard John Stockton.
The Philadelphia 76ers are keeping guard Tim Frazier around at least a little while longer, signing him to a second 10-day contract. Frazier joined the Sixers on Feb. 5 and has started two games and played in three. He is averaging 5.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists.