Snell’s 3-pointer at buzzer lifts Hawks over Raptors 121-120

Mar 11, 2021 | 7:51 PM

TAMPA, Fla. — Tony Snell hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer Thursday night and the Atlanta Hawks came back from a 15-point deficit in the final six minutes to beat the Toronto Raptors 121-120.

Trae Young scored 37 points for the Hawks, who won their third straight.

Norman Powell scored 33 points for Toronto and Chris Boucher had another big game off the bench with 29 points and nine rebounds. Kyle Lowry, who moved into second place on Toronto’s career scoring list, finished with 17 points and 12 assists.

Boucher followed his career-high, 30-point game on March 4 to help Toronto come back from an early 19-point deficit.

Lowry’s 17 points moved him ahead of Chris Bosh into second place on Toronto’s scoring list with 10,292 points. DeMar DeRozan is first with 13,296.

The Raptors played again without Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby because of the NBA’s coronavirus safety protocols. Coach Nick Nurse, who had missed the two preceding games along with most of his staff for the same reason, was back on the bench Thursday night.

The Raptors made only eight of their first 26 shots, and when Solomon Hill’s 3-pointer completed an 11-0 Atlanta run early in the second quarter, the Hawks led 48-29.

Boucher scored twice and Powell hit a 3-pointer on a 12-0 run to help the Raptors get back in it, but they never led until Powell’s 3-pointer made it 78-76 midway through the third quarter.

The Hawks were down 112-97 when Boucher hit another 3-point shot with 6:13 left.

TIP-INS

Hawks: Snell, the NBA’s hottest 3-point shooter (64.6%) since Feb. 1, shot 2 for 3 from behind the arc, the first two shots coming early in the first quarter. … F De’Andre Hunter, who has missed 18 straight games and had right knee surgery Feb. 8, will return soon, according to coach Nate McMillan

Raptors: F-C Henry Ellenson, who signed a 10-day contract Wednesday after playing 15 games in the G League bubble, did not play. … The Raptors expect to make 3,800 tickets available for their next game in Tampa, March 19 against Utah.

UP NEXT

Hawks: Play at home against Sacramento on Saturday night.

Raptors: Play at Charlotte on Saturday night.

Dick Scanlon, The Associated Press