Raptors vs Hawks preview: Can Atlanta elude a sweep against Toronto?

The Atlanta Hawks eventually came alive to topple the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, but the team will need a 48-minute effort to avoid an ugly season series sweep on Thursday. To this point in the season, the Hawks have been unable to solve the Toronto Raptors, losing three games by at least eight points each time, and Atlanta has only one more chance to knock off the number two seed in the East.

The two teams met just eight days ago in Canada, and while the final result displays a 105-97 score, it was actually more lopsided than that toward the Raptors. Toronto led by more than 20 points at the start of the fourth quarter before letting down, and the performance was troubling in many ways for the Hawks.

However, Atlanta may have unearthed something with their late-game play on Tuesday, and given the homecourt advantage, there is a level playing field here. The Raptors are playing quite well with recent wins over the Hornets and Grizzlies, but the task isn't necessarily too great for the Hawks and this should be a fun game to watch.

Keep an eye on the point guard battle between Jeff Teague (plus Dennis Schröder) and Kyle Lowry, as anything approaching a break-even scenario would be ideal for the Hawks. Stay tuned throughout the day for all the latest from Philips Arena, as the Hawks play only one more home game following this contest.

It is getting late in the year, folks. Enjoy it.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Thursday, April 7, 8:00 p.m. ET

Location: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

TV: Fox Sports Southeast, NBA League Pass

Radio: 92.9 "The Game" FM