Following the NBA All-Star break, the Atlanta Hawks faced off against the Toronto Raptors on February 24 in their first game back. The Hawks, sporting a 24-31 record, sought to improve their performance in the latter half of the season.
Early in the game, the Hawks struggled, shooting a mere 8% from the field within the first four minutes. The Raptors capitalized on this, embarking on a 15-0 run led by center Jakob Poeltl, leaving the Hawks trailing 15-2. It was Dejounte Murray, the Hawks’ guard, who finally broke their scoring drought with a layup.
Despite a technical foul against Trae Young for disputing a call, Murray spearheaded a spirited offensive comeback for the Hawks. However, by the end of the first quarter, Atlanta found themselves still struggling defensively, trailing 33-22.
With center Onyeka Okongwu sidelined due to injury, the Hawks’ frontcourt relied on contributions from the bench, notably from center Bruno Fernando, who helped narrow the Raptors’ lead to five points.
The game took a contentious turn when a strong screen by Poeltl on Young resulted in a dispute between coaches and officials, leading to double technical fouls and the ejection of Hawks’ head coach Quin Snyder.
Despite efforts to rally, the Hawks found themselves trailing 65-64 at halftime. The Raptors maintained a slim lead into the third quarter, with Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick making significant contributions off the bench.
In a back-and-forth third quarter, the Hawks briefly regained the lead before the Raptors pulled ahead, ending the quarter with a 96-90 lead.
In the final quarter, the Hawks struggled to gain momentum, trailing 123-121 by the end of the game despite a late surge. Despite the loss, assistant coach Igor Kokoškov praised Fernando’s performance, emphasizing the need for him to continue his strong play.
Fernando, reflecting on his growth as a player since his first stint in Atlanta, expressed pride in his progress and dedication over the years.
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