Raptors clinch playoff spot with win over Hawks

Pascal Siakam had 31 points and 13 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors clinched a playoff spot Tuesday with a 118-108 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

TORONTO – Pascal Siakam had 31 points and 13 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors clinched a playoff spot Tuesday with a 118-108 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Scottie Barnes added 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Chris Boucher added 18 points, and Gary Trent Jr., finished with 14 for the Raptors (46-33) in their 12th win in 15 games.

Fred VanVleet had 12 points, while Precious Achiuwa chipped in 11.

With their victory and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 120-115 loss in Orlando, the Raptors can finish no worse than sixth in the East.

Trae Young had 26 points to lead the Hawks (41-38), who saw their five-game winning streak come to an end.

The Raptors will host playoff games at Scotiabank Arena for the first time since the thrilling 2019 NBA championship run.

The 2020 season ended in the Disneyworld bubble due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Raptors were exiled to Tampa, Fla., for the following season due to Canada-US border restrictions, and health and safety rules in Ontario. They didn’t make the 2021 playoffs anyways, tumbling down the Eastern Conference in March amid a COVID-19 outbreak to finish 12th.

Neither team dominated through the first three quarters of the see-saw battle. After briefly leading by seven points in the first half, Boucher’s three-pointer with 2:28 left in the third gave the Raptors a nine-point cushion, their biggest lead to that point. They took an 89-83 advantage into the fourth.