Atlanta Hawks vs Toronto Raptors Betting Pick & Prediction 12/29/24

At 6:00 ET, the 17-15 Hawks will head to Toronto to take on the 7-24 Raptors. Atlanta is currently favored by 1.5 points and has won three straight games. This Eastern Conference matchup can be seen on TSN.

The over/under line for this game is currently sitting at 237.5 points. The Hawks are 6th in the Eastern Conference, while the Raptors are 14th. Toronto has lost nine straight games and is 5th in the Atlantic Division.

ATLANTA HAWKS VS TORONTO RAPTORS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Toronto Raptors +1.5

This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena at 6:00 ET on Sunday, December 29th.

WHY BET THE TORONTO RAPTORS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 148-138 in favor of the Raptors.
• Our projections have RJ Barrett finishing with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
• From the field, we have the Raptors finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.5% and knocking down 13 threes.

Can the Hawks Grab a Win on the Road?

The Hawks improved to 17-15 this season with a 120-110 win over the Heat on Saturday. Atlanta, playing at home, was favored by a point and covered the spread. The total points for the game were 230, just over the 227.5 O/U line.

Atlanta started strong, leading 35-28 after the 1st quarter. Miami fought back in the 2nd, outscoring the Hawks 30-26. However, Atlanta regained control in the 3rd, winning the quarter 32-26, and entered the 4th with a 93-84 lead. They edged Miami 27-26 in the final quarter to seal the win.

Jalen Johnson’s 28 points and 13 rebounds led the Hawks to a win over the Heat, with Johnson shooting 65% from the field. De’Andre Hunter added 26 points, hitting 4 threes at 57.1% efficiency, while Garrison Mathews also connected on 4 threes, contributing 18 points on 62.5% shooting.

As a team, the Hawks hit 15 threes, shooting 40.5% from beyond the arc and 51.2% overall. Johnson and Hunter each scored 8 points in the 4th quarter, with Hunter also adding 8 in the 1st.

Defensively, the Hawks gave up 110 points but held the Heat to 26 points in both the 3rd and 4th quarters. Atlanta allowed Miami to shoot 44% from the field.

The Hawks limited the Heat to 13 made threes on 31% shooting. Atlanta also recorded 38 defensive rebounds, gave up 8 offensive boards, and finished with 7 steals.

Will Toronto Come Through as Home Underdogs?

The Raptors fell to 7-24 this season after a 155-126 loss to the Grizzlies on Thursday. Toronto, who entered the game as +11.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 281, well over the pre-game line of 241.

Toronto started the game by allowing 43 points in the 1st quarter, and while they matched Memphis with 35 points in the 2nd, they couldn’t keep up in the 2nd half. The Grizzlies outscored the Raptors 43-30 in the 3rd quarter, and Toronto couldn’t mount a comeback in the 4th, where they were outscored 34-26.

In their 155-126 loss to the Grizzlies, the Raptors shot 45.4% from the field and 32.6% from three-point range, hitting 14 threes overall. RJ Barrett led the way with 27 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds, shooting 55.6% from the floor.

Scottie Barnes contributed 26 points, including 10 in the 4th quarter, while Chris Boucher added 15 points. Gradey Dick and Kelly Olynyk each chipped in 14 points, with Dick scoring 7 in the opening quarter.

The Raptors struggled defensively against the Grizzlies, giving up 155 points in a tough loss. They allowed 43 points in both the 1st and 3rd quarters, with Memphis shooting 53% from the field.

Toronto also allowed 18 threes, with the Grizzlies hitting 40% from deep. The Raptors sent Memphis to the line 29 times, where they made 21 free throws. Defensively, Toronto recorded 8 steals and 3 blocks.