Hawks vs Raptors: Game Preview, Injury Report, Projected Starting Lineups For Tonight's Matchup

Atlanta Hawks basketball is officially back.

After a summer chock-full of changes, the Hawks will finally get their first chance to test their lineup in a real game situation. Preseason basketball offered an intriguing preview of what this team can be, but those games won't count against Atlanta's record this year. From now on, each game is a chance to build themselves up as a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference and prove that the moves they made this offseason were impactful.

To briefly recap, the Hawks made a big trade to land a new starting center in former Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis. They also signed valuable reserve wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves, upgraded their shooting by bringing in veteran sharpshooter Luke Kennard and drafting Asa Newell with the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Hawks also got an important piece of business done yesterday when they signed breakout guard Dyson Daniels to a 5 year, $100 million dollar extension.

They open the season against a Toronto Raptors team that isn't expected to finish particularly high in the Eastern Conference. Toronto went 30-52 last season and earned the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. On paper, they aren't much better than the lottery team they were last year. However, the Raptors went 2-1 against the Hawks last season despite Atlanta being a better team on paper. They've added Brandon Ingram after trading for him at the deadline last season and they're already tied to Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poetl and Immanuel Quickley for the foreseeable future. Toronto probably won't be a title contender, but they are a good opening test for the Hawks to pass.

For Atlanta, barely winning above 40 games is no longer acceptable. Head coach Quin Snyder has missed the playoffs in two of his first three seasons with the Hawks. He's returning four of his five starters from last season's starting lineup, centered around the dynamic duo of point guard Trae Young and power forward Jalen Johnson. Daniels will be looking to justify his new contract while rookie Zaccharie Risacher made a big impression for Atlanta throughout the second half of the season. New general manager Onsi Saleh has done a good job of improving Atlanta's roster - it's up to them to deliver on heightened expectations in a wide-open Eastern Conference.

By the Numbers

Jalen Johnson, Johnson, Atlanta Hawks, Hawks, NB — Dec 29, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots the ball against the Toronto Raptors in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Last season, the Hawks still had a respectable offense despite missing their second best scorer for the majority of the season. They finished 5th in points, 14th in FG%, 18th in 3P%, 18th in FT%, 14th in rebounds (9th in OREB), 2nd in assists and 26th in turnovers per game. Atlanta didn't have particularly good shooting, but they were able to generate a decent amount of second chances. It also doesn't hurt to have one of the best playmakers in the NBA running the offense in Trae Young.

However, their 41-41 record was in large part due to having one of the worst defenses in the NBA. On a per-game basis, Atlanta finished 27th in points allowed, 28th in FG% allowed, 28th in 3P% allowed, 12th in rebounds allowed, 2nd in steals and 12th in blocks. Dyson Daniels led the NBA in steals and earned an All-Defensive First Team nod, but it wasn't enough to keep the Hawks' defense afloat.

Toronto's offense really struggled last year. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering their roster construction, but they also had injuries to two of their top three scorers. Immanuel Quickley only played in 33 games and Scottie Barnes missed 25 games. Accordingly, they finished 23rd in points, 20th in FG%, 23rd in 3P%, 29th in FT%, 10th in rebounds (4th in OREB), 7th in assists and 24th in turnovers per game.

Their defense kept them in games throughout the second half of the year as they made a push for the play-in tournament. On a per-game basis, the Raptors finished 18th in points allowed, 14th in FG% allowed, 4th in 3P% allowed, 21st in rebounds allowed, 16th in steals and 28th in blocks. They weren't an elite unit, but Toronto did a good job of tightening up on opposing shooters.

Three Reasons Atlanta Can Win This Game

The Raptors are especially poor at shooting from deep. Outside of Gradey Dick and Quickley, there aren't many players the Hawks need to worry about when it comes to putting up threes at a high volume. The addition of Ingram might help in that regard - he averaged a career-best 6.4 3PA through the 18 games he played last season. However, the consistent knock on Ingram throughout his career is that he attempts less threes than expected. Considering that Atlanta has enough length and size on the perimeter to close out on Toronto's already-limited shooters, this might be a matchup where Atlanta has the shooting advantage.

The Hawks also have two excellent perimeter defenders in Daniels and Alexander-Walker who can force turnovers on Toronto's ball-handlers. Daniels averaged 4.5 steals against the Raptors last season and also had a big two-way game against them, putting up 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a narrow Hawks loss. Alexander-Walker hasn't put up the same numbers, but he's still extremely good at navigating through screens. The Raptors were 9th in the NBA in points off screens last season, so he should be able to provide a major boost to the Hawks in that regard.

The Raptors also will be without former point guard Davion Mitchell, who was a particularly frustrating matchup for Trae Young last season. Mitchell held Young to under 20 points on poor efficiency in two of their matchups during the regular season and also did a good job on Young in the play-in tournament. Quickley has done a good job on Young in the past, but there's reason to believe Young has a better chance of being able to impact the game with Quickley in pursuit rather than Mitchell.

Three Reasons Atlanta Might Lose This Game

The Hawks' defense hasn't looked as strong as advertised throughout the two games of preseason that they got real run in. Kristaps Porzingis racked up fouls, the defense looked out of rhythym and opposing offenses were able to score with relative ease. Maybe part of that can be blamed on having new pieces and adjusting back into game action, but it has to be a concern considering how intentional the Hawks were about trying to improve their defense.

It's also possible that the Hawks might struggle to slow down Brandon Ingram in particular. He's been excellent on offense for the Raptors throughout the preseason, averaging 18.3 points on 44.8 FG% and an excellent 52.9 percent from three. Ingram also gave the Hawks 32 points and seven rebounds when he last played against Atlanta during the regular season. I'd expect that he draws Zaccharie Risacher on defense, which should be an early test for the young sophomore wing to handle.

Atlanta might also have to worry about a potentially muted Porzingis tonight. He hasn't scored over 20 points against the Raptors since 2023 and the last time he played Toronto, Porzingis finished as a -17 with 18 points and eight rebounds. He did can four of his five threes, so he should still be able to find utility as a floor spacer. However, he still needs to adjust to Atlanta's system and it's possible that his best defense may not exactly be on display in the season opener.

Injury Report

Atlanta Hawks: N/A

Toronto Raptors: Forward Collin Murray-Boyles and guard Ja'Kobe Walter are both out.

How to Watch

Zaccharie Risacher, Risacher, Atlanta Hawks, Hawk — Dec 29, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Bruce Brown (11) shoots the ball as Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) defends in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Here is how you can watch tonight's game:

Tip-off time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Where to Watch: FanDuel Sports Network

Spread and Over/Under: The Hawks will be favorites at home tonight, as they are currently 5.5-point favorites according to the latest odds from the Fanduel Sportsbook, and the over/under is set at 236.5.

Projected Starting Lineups

Hawks:

G - Trae Young

G - Dyson Daniels

F - Zaccharie Risacher

F - Jalen Johnson

C - Kristaps Porzingis

Raptors

G - Immanuel Quickley

G - RJ Barrett

F - Brandon Ingram

F - Scottie Barnes

C - Jakob Poetl

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.