Tony Snell’s buzzer-beater lets Hawks top Raptors
FILE PHOTO Bol Bol #10 of the Denver Nuggets attacks the basket against Tony Snell #19 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena on February 21, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Tony Snell hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to help the visiting Atlanta Hawks overcome a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit and beat the Toronto Raptors 121-120 on Thursday in Tampa.
The Hawks inbounded the ball to Trae Young with 7.1 seconds remaining. He drove to the basket and kicked it out to Snell, who buried a 25-footer for the game-winner.
The Raptors led 112-97 with 6:13 left when the Hawks went on a 12-0 run to cut the lead to three.
It was the third straight win for the Hawks, who got 37 points from Young, 20 points from reserve Danilo Gallinari and 19 points from Kevin Huerter.
Toronto was led by 33 points from Norman Powell, who has scored at least 24 points in seven of his last nine games. Reserve Chris Boucher followed with 29 points and added nine rebounds. Kyle Lowry chipped in 17 points and 12 assists, but the Raptors lost their third straight game.
The Raptors were playing without Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby, three of their top five scorers, and reserves Malachi Flynn and Patrick McCaw for the third straight game because of health and safety protocols. Coach Nick Nurse was cleared to return to the bench.
The Hawks shot 51.7 percent in the first quarter and ran away to a 37-26 lead, with Young scoring 11. Atlanta led by as many as 19 points (48-29) when Toronto went on a 14-2 run to get back in the game, and then narrowed the lead to four points at 61-57 on a basket by Aron Baynes with 40.7 seconds left.
Atlanta led 64-59 at halftime.
Toronto built the momentum in the third quarter and tied the game at 73-73 on a jumper by Boucher with 7:19 left. The Raptors capped the period on Paul Watson’s 3-pointer and took a 94-84 lead into the final quarter.
Toronto plays again on Saturday at Charlotte, the first of three straight road games. The Hawks return home Saturday to play the Sacramento Kings.
–Field Level Media
