Pre-game news & notes: Splitter out, Carroll returns to Atlanta

The Toronto Raptors visit the Atlanta Hawks for an 8 p.m. tip-off on TSN. We have you covered here with a full preview, and note that the line has remained mostly unchanged at Hawks -3, which feels right given how close these teams are in several encompassing metrics and the fact that the game is at Fortress Philips (shout out to The Starters, keeping it real in ATL).

It’s a pretty big opportunity for the Raptors to make a statement ahead of a six-game home-stand. The Raptors are 11-7 but don’t seem to be getting a ton of buy-in to their 50-win pace, and beating the Hawks in Atlanta would give the Raptors a third marquee road victory (OKC, LAC). The Hawks are 12-8, generally playing well

Tiago Splitter out
Tiago Splitter will miss his sixth consecutive game due to a hip injury, Chris Vivlamore reports from pre-game.

Acquired from the San Antonio Spurs in the offseason, Splitter is averaging 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 17.3 minutes while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor. That’s a smaller role than he had the last few seasons in San Antonio, but the Hawks like to occasionally go five-out, and since Splitter isn’t one to shoot outside of 10 feet, he’ll only work with certain Hawks lineup iterations. The Hawks have been 6.3 points per-100 possessions better with him on the floor, with all of that impact coming on the defensive end.

Splitter’s been particularly effective sharing the floor with Paul Millsap, as the Hawks play a little more traditionally in those iterations. Lineups with Splitter and Horford have eviscerated opponents, but they’re ones head coach Mike Budenholzer doesn’t seem all that confident with – Horford can play the four just fine, but it requires tweaks to the offensive attack – and the two centers have only played 65 minutes together. Unrelated to tonight, but the Hawks have toyed with a Millsap-Horford-Splitter trio I’d like to see more of. Millsap’s versatility opens up so many options, and it’s crazy that he was once a tween forward and can now slot in as a center for smaller groups.

With Splitter sidelined, Millsap and Horford seem likely to stick at their normal positions while Mike Scott and Mike Muscala see expanded run off the bench. Scott can help stretch the floor but is a defensive liability. Muscala can also step out to the 3-point line and is a strong rebounder, and the Raptors lack an offensive center right now to take advantage of his lack of strength inside. Splitter’s absence is a slight boon for the Raptors, as it takes away a safety valve on offense and a big body, if one who doesn’t block a ton of shots, on defense. Maybe we’ll even get to see some Walter Taveras!

Jonas Valanciunas (finger) remains out for the Raptors, while Bruno Caboclo and Delon Wright will be on-hand if needed (Caobclo is likely to draw inactive).

DeMarre Carroll returns to Atlanta

Thank you, @DeMarreCarroll1: https://t.co/XsfHr5H2Fe
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 2, 2015

There’s lots of DeMarre Carroll stuff in the pregame, but naturally, he was asked about his return to Atlanta this week. Here’s a blurb from Tuesday, courtesy Wozzle of the Sun:

Atlanta gave me a great opportunity to be where I’m at now. They gave me the opportunity to expand on my game and show everybody how I play. So, I think it’s a great feeling just going in there. (But) I don’t get caught up in all of that (mark it down on your calendar talk). I’m a competitor, and it’s just another game for me. Once you get caught up in all that emotional stuff … I just want to go in there, man, and play like it’s another road game. I’m sure it’s going to be a great atmosphere and I’m sure it’s going to be a great game. Two playoff teams looking for a win.

Jeff Teague downplayed Carroll’s return entirely, while Millsap was a little more excited for a chance to match-up with Carroll, combo-forward e positionless-forward.

Paul Millsap joked that he can’t wait for a defensive switch do he can guard DeMarre Carroll tonight. — Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) December 2, 2015