Three Takeaways From Hawks Last-Second Win Over Toronto

It was not pretty, but the Atlanta Hawks found a way to snap their four-game losing streak last night when they beat the Toronto Raptors in the final seconds. It looked like the Hawks were doomed after Trae Young's shot fell short, but forward Saddiq Bey was able to dunk the ball and win the game for the Hawks.

This win does not really solve anything for the Hawks, but it is better than a loss. This team has a really tough stretch of games coming up, including matchups with the Lakers, Suns, Warriors, Clippers, Celtics, and 76ers.

So what are the biggest takeaways from last night's game?

1. This was Saddiq Bey's best game of the season

If you follow the Hawks closely, you know that the past month has been one of the toughest stretches for Saddiq Bey. Bey has not been able to shoot the ball well from three, much less shoot the ball well at all. His slump has come at the worst time, with De'Andre Hunter still sidelined with an injury, and his poor performances have contributed to the Hawks losing.

Bey stepped up in a big way last night. Bey finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds and he finished with a +19 on/off number, tied for best on the team with Clint Capela. He hit the game-winning shot and helped the Hawks stop their losing streak. Atlanta is going to need similar performances from Bey if they want to try and turn things around.

2. The Hawks had a huge edge in points in the paint

When Jakob Poetl was ruled out for the Raptors, it was clear that the Hawks were going to have a size advantage against Toronto and they used that to win the game. The Hawks outscored the Raptors 76-52 in the paint and held an edge in second chance 32-8. Due to how poor they shot from three, this kind of advantage was needed.

3. The Hawks had a bad night shooting from three

Atlanta came into the game against Toronto rankings 6th in three-point attempts, but they are a below-average team in terms of three-point percentage. Last night, they had one of their worst nights shooting from beyond the arc and it nearly cost them.

The Hawks shot 6-27 (22%), but four of those makes came from one player, Bogdan Bogdanovic. As good of a game as Saddiq Bey had, he was 0-6 from three, Trae Young was 1-4, and the bench did not have a good night shooting. They were fortunate to be playing such a shorthanded and average team last night or else their poor shooting might hurt them.

Analyst Proposes Three-Team Trade Between Hawks, Lakers, and Nets

Follow Jackson on X here: @jacksoncauell

Follow Hawks coverage on Facebook here: All Hawks