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TORONTO -- Embarrassed by the Toronto Raptors 13 days ago, the Atlanta Hawks made up for that poor performance in the rematch.Dwight Howard had 27 points and 15 rebounds for his 17th double-double of the season to lead the Hawks to a 125-121 victory over the Raptors on Friday night.Toronto had a franchise-record 44-point victory over its Eastern Conference rival on Dec. 3. In this one, Atlanta responded with a season-high scoring effort and shot a season-best 53.5 percent from the field.I thought our energy was better tonight, Howard said. We locked in on defense and we forced some of their guys to take tough shots. I thought last game they just got any shot they wanted.The Raptors made the game close down the stretch with 39 points in the fourth quarter, closing to within three on DeMar DeRozans layup with 10.6 seconds left. However, Dennis Schroder converted a free throw with 6.7 seconds to re-establish a four-point Atlanta edge, and Kyle Lowrys miss on a 3 with 1.9 seconds left ended Torontos comeback effort.Despite the frantic finish, overall Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer was pleased with his teams defensive effort.The first half I thought the defense was very good, theres maybe some slippage in the second but anytime you can come in here and get a win, you are doing something on both ends of the court, he said.Kyle Korver did his best to help on the offensive end with a season-high 19 points, including a season-high six 3-pointers, while Schroder added 24 points.For the Raptors, DeRozan had 34 points, his third straight 30-point outing and 14th of the season to tie a career high, with Lowry adding another 24, including a season-high-equaling six 3-pointers, as Toronto saw its four-game winning streak come to an end. The defeat to Atlanta was Torontos fourth against an Eastern Conference club, but its first to someone other than Cleveland.After allowing an opponent season-high 69 points in the first half, and getting outrebounded 44-26, Toronto coach Dwane Casey was less than impressed with his teams defensive effort. Thats something he has preached even as his team has scored 100 points in 13 consecutive games, the second longest streak in team history and the longest active one in the NBA.We scored enough points, 121 points, shooting 54 percent, 47 percent from the 3, Casey said. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out where our problem is.While Lowry agreed with his coachs assessment, he was also happy to give credit to Atlanta, particularly given the 128-84 score the last time the two teams met.They played aggressive and they played like they wanted to win, he said. Tip our hats to them, its one game for us and they beat us fair and square. We will look at the film; they beat us tonight, they really beat us.TIP-INSHawks: G Tim Hardaway remained in the starting lineup for the third straight game even as usual starter G Kent Bazemore returned after missing the last two games with right knee soreness.Raptors: C Lucas Nogueira returned to the starting lineup after missing Wednesdays game with a sore right knee. ... The crowd at Air Canada Centre observed a moments silence in memory of late TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager. ... In defeat, the Raptors scored at least 120 points for the eighth time this season, one shy of the franchise record of nine, set in the 2014-15 and 2005-06 seasons.SWEET 16With his second of two free throws with 1:15 to go in the first half, Howard became the NBAs newest member of the 16,000-point club. The shot gave him a first-half high 18 points.UP NEXTHawks: Host Charlotte on Saturday with Atlanta looking for a fifth straight home win against the Hornets.Raptors: At Orlando on Sunday for the first of four meetings between the teams this season. Air Max 270 React Cheap . After slipping from the summit during the week, the Gunners overcame struggling Crystal Palace 2-0 on Sunday thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlains second-half brace. Cheap Nike Air Max 97 China .Y. -- Syracuse has turned up the defence at the right time all season, and when High Point threatened to pull off a monumental upset the second-ranked Orange did what they do best with their quick hands and savvy play. http://www.brandshoescheaponline.com/wholesale-adidas-shoes-china.html . Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The 26-year-old finished last season with Clevelands Triple-A affiliate in Columbus after signing with the Indians in August. Wholesale Nike Air Max China . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year. Nike Air Max 90 China Wholesale . PETERSBURG, Fla. CINCINNATI -- When asked if Jaime Garcias start on Saturday was an important one for the playoff-contending St. Louis Cardinals, manager Mike Matheny said they all are.At this point, every starter is key for us, he said. Jaimes going to get an opportunity every fifth day to go out and be the kind of pitcher he can be, which is impressive when hes right.Garcia, who will face the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday at Great American Ball Park, suffered his 10th loss in his last start on Aug. 28 against the Oakland As. He has given up five or more earned runs in three straight starts for the first time in his career.One thing in Garcias favor on Saturday in hitter-friendly Great American is that hes one of the top ground-ball pitchers in baseball.Garcia leads the National League with a 58.5 percent ground-ball percentage. He also ranks fourth in the NL in double plays.Hes also dominated Cincinnati, going 11-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 19 career starts against the Reds. His 11 wins are tied for his most against any opponent. He also has 11 wins against the Milwaukee BrewersSlowly but surely, the NL wild-card chasing Cardinals are getting healthy.First baseman Matt Adams was reinstated from the disabled list on Friday. With the lineup producing top to bottom, Adams will be used mostly off the bench. Adams is 10-for-27 with two homers and five RBI this season as a pinch-hitter.Object isnt to get guys at-bats, object is to win, said Matheny.Right-hander Mike Leake could rejoin the team in Cincinnati and throw a bullpen this weekend. Leake is on the disabled list after a bout with shingles which has subsided.ddddddddddddCincinnati will start right-hander Dan Straily, who has been among their most dependable starters.Straily will make his 29th appearance and 26th start of the season on Saturday. Hes limiting opponents to a .222 average, good for 10th best in the league.In his first eight starts after the All-Star break, Straily went 6-0 with a 1.98 ERA and didnt allow more than two runs any of those games. His career-high six-game winning streak was snapped in Mondays 9-2 loss at Anaheim.First baseman Joey Vottos torrid stretch at the plate was paused on Friday when he was out of the lineup due to a stiff neck. Votto, who batted .394 in August after hitting .419 in July, could return on Saturday.The rebuilding Reds could have an impact on the playoff race with upcoming series against the Cardinals, Mets and Pirates.St. Louis has lost two straight, including the series opener in Cincinnati on Eugenio Suarezs walk-off single Friday night. The Cardinals still lead the New York Mets by two games for the second wild-card spot in the NL.But, Reds manager Bryan Price said hes not content with playing spoiler.Ive been thinking about this .... I knew this question was coming. It comes up every year youre not in it, Price said. The only thing that matters to us is were out there winning games. We need to make it about our team. We cant worry about contenders. They need to go through Cincinnati to get there. ' ' '