The Sports Xchange
Nov 25, 2017
ATLANTA -- Three reserves sparked Toronto to a big second quarter and helped the Raptors break a two-game losing streak with a 112-78 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night at Philips Arena.
The trio of Norman Powell, Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam combined for 44 points -- 28 in the second quarter when Toronto outscored Atlanta 39-14 to take a commanding lead it never relinquished.
The Raptors (12-7) got 17 points from Powell, 14 from Poeltl and 13 from Siakam.
Powell, who missed four games earlier this month because of a right hip pointer, fell two points short of matching his season high. Poeltl equaled his career best.
The Raptors placed seven players in double figures, including Kyle Lowry with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan scored only two points and fell one game short of matching the team record of 114 straight games in double figures.
Atlanta (4-16) was led by point guard Dennis Schroder with 14 points and four assists. Taurean Price and Marco Belinelli each scored 10.
It was the fewest points scored by Atlanta this season. The Hawks had only 85 against San Antonio on Nov. 15.
Both teams played Friday night and each was a bit ragged in the first quarter.
It took nearly two minutes for the Raptors to score the game's first points and DeRozan didn't score until five seconds left in the quarter, which Toronto led 28-25.
The Raptors took over in the second quarter and blew the game open when they shot 68.2 percent compared with 22.2 percent for the Hawks. Toronto outscored Atlanta 21-3 to open the quarter.
Powell had 13 points and Siakam scored nine in the second quarter.
The 67-39 lead was the largest halftime advantage for Toronto this season and the biggest halftime deficit of the year for Atlanta.
The Hawks came back from a 17-point deficit in the second quarter against New York on Friday but had any comeback hopes quickly thwarted in the third quarter when Toronto scored the first six points and upped its lead to 34 points. Atlanta didn’t score until Taurean Prince made a 3-pointer with 8:41 left.
NOTES: C Miles Plumlee made his Atlanta debut in the fourth quarter. Plumlee, acquired from Charlotte in the Dwight Howard trade, had not played all season because of a right quad injury. ... Atlanta F Luke Babbitt missed his third straight game with lower back tightness. F Mike Muscala was out for the 11th straight game with a sprained left ankle. ... Unavailable for Toronto were C.J. Miles (personal) and Delon Wright (shoulder). ... Atlanta plays again at home on Thursday against Cleveland. Toronto is finished with its three-game road trip and plays at home on Wednesday against Charlotte.