Hawks hope for better result against Raptors

TORONTO -- The Atlanta Hawks will be back at the Air Canada Centre for the second time in two weeks on Friday night.

That has hardly been long enough to erase the pain of their visit on Dec. 3 when the Toronto Raptors trounced them 128-84. The 44-point margin of victory the largest in Raptors' history.

Not much has changed since then. The Raptors (18-7) continue to roll, having won four in a row and 10 of their last 11 games, including a 123-114 decision over the 76ers in Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

The Hawks (12-13) continue to struggle after a 9-2 start to the season.

The Hawks took a 131-120 loss at home to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night after winning their two previous games. It was the highest point total against the Hawks since the Golden State Warriors scored 137 points on March 4, 2008.

"I don't know exactly how I would describe it but there is some level of frustration," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "There is some level of optimism. I do think we are doing some things better. We need to do more things better for more of the 48 minutes. I would say there was a stretch when offensively, we were really, really struggling. We have taken two steps forward there. Maybe we have regressed defensively. We have to be moving forward with both."

"We definitely had a lot of steps forward to start and then a lot of steps back," said Hawks reserve forward Kris Humphries, a former Raptor. "Then a comeback win (over the Milwaukee Bucks) for a step forward. I think you have to look at the next seven games and gauge if our momentum is going the right way and judge how we are playing. Sometimes, a game like (the loss to the Magic) is hard to judge where you are at. The way they played, they would have beat anyone in the league."

The Raptors currently have the highest-rated offense in the NBA, but they were outscored in the fourth quarter Wednesday by the 76ers 40-31 and had a 19-point lead with 5:39 to play cut to six with 41 seconds remaining before they held on for the nine-point margin. Coach Dwane Casey was not pleased.

"It's a great example: the game is never over until it's over," Casey said. "We're not good enough to let up and relax. Every team in this league can come back and get you. That's what's upsetting about a good-going game until the fourth quarter. Gave up 40 points and 50 percent shooting because we took our foot off the gas pedal and you can't do that in this league."

DeMar DeRozan had 31 points against the 76ers after scoring 30 against the Milwaukee Bucks in Toronto's win on Monday.

"We just understand what needs to be done," DeRozan said. "Not much has to be said. We kind of know after a lot of games what we need to be better at next game. Consciously we're going into next practice, next game with that on our minds to be better. It's just the maturity of us and all of the guys that have been on this team carrying it over to the younger guys."

Raptors reserve center Lucas Nogueira did not play Wednesday because of a sore right knee. Tests showed no serious injury.