The Raptors’ identity of late has been shaped around the idea they have a higher gear that lets them take over games in just a few minutes. This version of the team, post-championship and injury, can still get most of the way there. The belief is strong; it’s just a matter of ability. It’s how Toronto can get stuck in a battle with the struggling Hawks, fresh off a team meeting and unsure of themselves, who entered Saturday night’s game 4-11.
That’s not to say the Hawks didn’t put in an effort. Even coming off a shellacking against the Pistons the previous night, the young Atlanta core kept fighting — almost comically so, as the seconds at the end stretched on and on, filled with intrigue.