Atlanta downs Raptors 93-84
Posted January 16, 2012 7:56 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Josh Smith scored 28 points and pulled down a season-high 15 rebounds and Joe Johnson added 27 points to help the Atlanta Hawks win their third straight game with a 93-84 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday.
Leandro Barbosa finished with 22 points in a reserve role for Toronto, which has lost five straight and seven of its last eight games.
Toronto was without centre Andrea Bargnani, the NBA’s ninth-leading scorer, for the third straight game because of a strained left calf. Reserve guard James Johnson didn’t play because of a sprained right ankle.
The Raptors twice cut the lead to one late in the third quarter when Barbosa hit a pair of free throws and a runner, but Atlanta went on an 18-9 run that Jeff Teague ended with a free throw to make it 81-71 with 7:55 remaining.
Toronto never got closer than five after Ed Davis scored inside over Smith to make it 85-80 with 2:12 left.
Smith responded on the next possession by jumping from the right baseline and tipping in Johnson’s missed runner to give the Hawks an 87-80 lead.
Atlanta improved to 10-4 overall, 6-1 at home.
Jose Calderon had 13 points and 11 assists and Amir Johnson added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who have lost seven of eight overall and dropped to 2-6 on the road.
Teague gave Atlanta its biggest lead at 13 when his short, floating jumper made it 43-30 at the 3:55 mark of the second.
The Hawks never trailed after Smith’s layup made it 13-11 at the 6:35 mark of the first.
Notes: Davis had 11 rebounds. … Johnson and Teague each had six assists. … Hawks G Tracy McGrady finished with no points and three assists in eight minutes after missing the past three games with back spasms. … Atlanta has won five straight over the Raptors and seven in a row at home.
