We’ve got ourselves another night of NBA Cup action in the Association, as 22 teams will take the court for Group Play. Two of those teams, the Raptors and the Hawks, might be doing so with a slight case of deja vu.
The season is less than three weeks old, yet this will be the second time that Toronto has traveled down to Atlanta in 2025-26. The first occasion came on opening night, when the Raptors destroyed the Hawks 138-118.
Will Atlanta get its revenge on Friday? Let’s preview tonight’s matchup with the help of some of some odds and lines on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Raptors vs. Hawks prediction, preview
Some of this is definitely based in a soft schedule — they’ve played the Nets and the Pacers in this stretch — but the Hawks have looked significantly better without Trae Young (knee) on the floor this season. If you include the Brooklyn game where Young got hurt and only logged 7.1 minutes, Atlanta is 3-1 without their All-Star, with a +7.6 net rating and the league’s seventh-best defensive rating (110.9) within that stretch. In fact, opponents were scoring 125.2 points per 100 possessions with Young on the floor to begin 2025-26, while the former fifth-overall pick was shooting a putrid 19.2% from three-point range. Small samples to be sure, but concerning ones for a man set to make nearly $46 million this year.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has started in place of Young in the Hawks’ past three games, averaging 19.0 points per contest and getting to the free throw line at a clip that reminds you he’s related to reigning MVP Shai Gligeous-Alexander. However, it’s Jalen Johnson who has seemingly taken on the role of No. 1 offensive option, as the wing has seen a team-high 82.3 touches per night in that same three-game stretch. Johnson appeared to be on his way to a breakout campaign in 2024-25 before his own long-term injury. Now he has the opportunity to try again. That said, Atlanta’s been winning with a pretty balanced attack. To wit, in Tuesday’s victory over the Magic, six different Hawks players scored at least 14 points.
Speaking of balance, let’s slide on over to the Raptors. With three straight wins, Toronto is back at .500 on the season. That was to be expected from a team that is spending as close to the luxury tax threshold as the Raptors are. However, I’m not sure anyone expected this team to be so efficient at scoring the basketball. Toronto is seventh in the NBA in offensive rating (117.3), and it’s one of only a couple squads to currently have three players averaging over 20 points per contest: Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett.
Barnes, in particular, has been fantastic so far this season. The former Rookie of the Year is excelling on both ends of the court, yet it’s his three-point shooting that is really turning heads. For his career, Barnes is a lowly 30.7% from distance. In 2025-26? Barnes is making 48.6% of his threes on an average 4.6 attempts per contest. There’s bound to be some regression coming, but if the one-time All-Star can unlock that aspect of his game, the sky is the limit.
Raptors vs. Hawks pick, best bet
Best Bet: Brandon Ingram 20+ Points (-114)
Ingram leads the Raptors in usage rate (25.5%) and he’s exceeded this prop in five of his last seven starts.
