Raptors’ free fall continues

The Toronto Raptors' spiral down the standings started in earnest the previous time the Atlanta Hawks were in town. It hasn't let up yet. Despite better health and fewer bodies in the league's health and safety protocols, the Raptors still aren't at full strength.

Of course, neither were the Hawks last night, but one team has fought their way back into contention since these two teams tipped off just after the all-star break and it was pretty clear which team is still feeling good about themselves and which one is not.

The Hawks were without Trae Young, John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, Deandre Hunter, Cam Reddish, Kris Dunn and Tony Snell.

That's an NBA starting five in many markets.

The Raptors were down Kyle Lowry for rest, Fred Vanvleet with a hip injury, Paul Watson Jr., who is still out on the health and safety protocols, and then, just before tipoff came news that Deandre Bembry would sit with a hamstring tightness.

Clearly the numbers were on Toronto's side, though it didn't look that way once the game tipped off.

The Hawks leaned heavily on the tandem of Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic from outside and the lanky presence of Clint Capela inside to leave Tampa with their second win in a little more than a month, this one by a 108-103 score.

Head coach Nick Nurse felt a real lack of energy in his group, maybe not from the opening tip, but early on in the game that was a foreboding of bad things to come.

“We started the game — I thought we were really flying around on some of the defensive possessions but then we weren't after a bit,” Nurse said. “Didn't think our offense was run very well tonight either, a lot of (un)assisted baskets. I think we ended up with 16 … So I didn't think there was a lot of life.”

The Raptors were just into their spiral coming out of the all-star break when Atlanta previously played here and had a game ripped away from them when Tony Snell hit a buzzerbeating three at the final horn to win.

Not much has gone right since.

With Lowry and Vanvleet looking on in street clothes, the ball movement the Raptors normally rely on for success was just about non-existent last night as Nurse mentioned.

Those open threes that are a staple of Toronto's offence failed to find the mark, again something Nurse blamed on the lack of energy.

Instead, there was a lot of Pascal Siakam doing it on his own and Siakam had one of his better nights in that regard shooting an efficient 13-for-19 for 30 points.

OG Anunoby, who has seen an uptick in his touches with so many regulars out, is taking advantage and using his size inside. Even with Capela enjoying one of his best seasons defensively, Anunoby went right at Atlanta's big man and had plenty of success, finishing with 15 points.

Capela, though, had a pretty decent night himself with 19 points and 21 rebounds.

The other bright spot for the Raptors was the play of newcomer Khem Birch off the bench. Birch went 5-for-6 from the field for a 13-point night while providing the spark his work at the other end always brings.