Betting Analysis and Predictions: Toronto Raptors at Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks had a huge fourth quarter, scoring 38 points and holding the Los Angeles Lakers to 20 in their 129-121 win Sunday.

That was the seventh consecutive win for the suddenly scorching hot Hawks, who find themselves a single game under .500 for the season and sitting in 10th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They have covered the spread in all seven of the victories.

The Toronto Raptors are in the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings and are coming off a well-earned over time 124-120 win in Miami over the Heat and covered the spread as 2.5-point underdogs Saturday.

They are 4-6 straight-up (SU), but a winning 6-4 against the spread (ATS), including a 3-7 over-under record.

The season is more than half completed and now these conference matchups involving teams bidding for the playoffs take on even greater importance.

Trae Young Leading Hawks

The Hawks point guard Trae Young has put the team on his back during this winning streak by averaging 28.4 points and 9.2 assists per game. He ranks fourth in the Association by averaging 27.7 points per game and has played at least 30 minutes in all but two of the 45 games he has played.

He has scored between 20 and 39 points in 34 of his 45 games, scored over 40 points twice and over 50 points once. He also has recorded 23 double-doubles, which is outstanding for a high-scoring point guard in the Association.

The Hawks Have More than Young

The Hawks are not a one-game team, though, as John Collins scored 20 points and Clint Capella added another 15 points per game.

Young is doing a better job of finding his teammates in open space where they can penetrate to the rim or choose the open jump shot.

Defenses are not double covering Young nearly as much because his teammates are draining their shots.

How Onyeka Okongwu has Blossomed

The emergence of backup Onyeka Okongwu, who scored 12 of his 16 points against the Lakers in the final quarter and held Anthony Davis to five fourth-quarter points, illustrates why the Hawks have played well recently.

The Hawks drafted Okongwu sixth overall out of Southern Cal in the 2020 draft. He has played every game since Jan. 3 and has posted positive plus-minus scores in six of his past seven games, including four in which he had a plus-minus of 11 or higher.

The Hawks winning streak started with Okongwu playing over 34 minutes in each of the first two wins, scoring 12 and 17 points, respectively. He has scored in double digits in five of the last eight games.

What do the Numbers Say for this Raptors-Hawks Game?

In the second half of each of the past two seasons, the Hawks are a highly profitable 19-5 ATS in home games and taking on an opponent that is averaging 24 or fewer free throws per game.

They are also 24-10 ATS coming off a home win and 23-10-1 ATS in home games coming off a home game spanning the last two seasons.

The Hawks look to be the right NBA betting play to make tonight..