On Thursday evening, the Toronto Raptors exited their All-Star break likely enjoyed either recovering from the coronavirus or working out on the sandy beaches of Florida, still sans three starters, against the Atlanta Hawks.
Despite nearly flawless performances from Kyle Lowry, Chris Boucher and Norman Powell, the night came down to a wide open 3-pointer by Tony Snell. The theatrics of this game-winner did a great job encapsulating the uphill battle the Raptors have been fighting all season.
Again and again, they chipped away at offensive runs by the Hawks with poise and persistence, but without three of the team's two-way pillars, the helplessness was so palpable that one could see the breakdown coming from a mile away.