RJ Barrett scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half to help the visiting Toronto Raptors earn a 109-97 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday and extend their winning streak to four games.
Barrett, who scored 25 points against the Hawks in their first meeting on Oct. 22, had just two points in the first half. He finished 7 of 15 from the field and was one of seven Raptors players to finish in double figures.
Toronto, which outscored Atlanta 36-20 in the fourth quarter, improved to 2-0 in NBA Cup play, while the Hawks lost 1-1 in tournament play. The Raptors have won both games against the Hawks this season.
The Raptors also got 20 points from Brandon Ingram, 18 points from Immanuel Quickley, 14 from Scottie Barnes, 12 from Jakob Poeltl and Sandro Mamukelashvili and 11 from Gradey Dick.
Atlanta got 21 points and seven rebounds from Jalen Johnson, 20 points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 17 points and seven rebounds from Kristaps Porzingis and 16 points from Zaccharie Risacher. Johnson sprained his right ankle late in the fourth quarter and left the game.
The game was tied 26-26 after the first quarter, but Atlanta led 53-44 at halftime when Toronto went ice cold from the floor. The Raptors were 0 of 12 from 3-point range and made just five baskets in the second quarter, which saw the Hawks lead by 13 points on three occasions.
It was Atlanta’s turn to cool down on the field in the third quarter. The Hawks shot just 30 percent (9 of 30) and saw Toronto cut the lead to two points on Dick’s jumper with 1:11 to play. Atlanta took a 77-73 advantage into the fourth quarter.
The Raptors took the lead with 7:31 left when Barnes scored a basket and an 82-81 advantage. The Hawks called a timeout, but Alexander-Walker threw the ball away and Quickley scored a 3-pointer for a four-point lead. It was part of an 11-5 run that allowed the Raptors to pull away.
The Hawks complete a back-to-back Saturday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers. The Raptors continue their five-game road trip Saturday in Philadelphia.
–Field level media
