This Hawks rebuilding project will have highs and lows over the course of the 82-game NBA season.
You can count Friday as a high.
The Hawks jumped on the Raptors in the second quarter and pushed forward for a 102-95 victory in the home opener. The Philips Arena crowd was announced as a sellout, but featured plenty of empty seats.
Al Horford’s dunk off a DeMarre Carroll miss with 4:32 left in the third quarter gave the Hawks an 18-point lead, 70-52, and punctuated the celebration. The Hawks weren’t perfect as the Raptors made it interesting by pulling to within five points in the fourth quarter.
Horford, 22 points and 16 rebounds, and Jeff Teague, 15 points and 12 assists, had double-doubles for the Hawks (1-1). Kyle Korver scored 17 points, including five 3-pointers.
DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors (1-1) with a game-high 31 points.
Teague put an exclamation point on the Hawks’ 13-2 run to close the first half with a fast-break dunk. It was part of an 18-4 run to close the second quarter as the Raptors managed one field goal in the final 5:06. The Hawks went into intermission with a 10-point lead, 49-39, with the rally.
The Raptors struggled from the field in the second quarter as they shot a meager 23.8 percent (5-of-21). The numbers included 1-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.
The Hawks led by one, 25-24, after a back-and-forth first quarter that featured 17 lead changes and two ties.
Horford lead the Hawks with 11 first-half points, nine of which came in the first quarter. He scored nine of the Hawks’ 11 points during one stretch. Teague had eight points and eight assists in the first 24 minutes.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer was displeased with the team’s transition defense in their season-opening loss to the Mavericks on Wednesday. It was a point of emphasis, complete with video examples, at practices. The Hawks limited the Raptors to six fast-break points, none in the second half.
Korver extended his streak to 75 consecutive games with a 3-pointer, the fourth longest in NBA history, with the Hawks’ opening basket. He is now three games behind Dennis Scott (78) for third place all-time.
The injured Lou Williams (right knee) and Gustavo Ayon (right shoulder) were the Hawks’ inactives.
Hawks begin a three-game road trip Sunday against the Lakers.
