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. Cheap Shoes From China . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Cheap Shoes Wholesale .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. https://www.cheapshoesdiscount.com/ . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. Cheap Shoes . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Cheap Shoes Free Shipping . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Alex Bentley made three 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes of regulation and scored seven points in overtime to help the Connecticut Sun rally past Minnesota 93-89 on Thursday night, overcoming Maya Moores 40 points for the Lynx.Minnesota was ahead 77-66 with 1:59 left in regulation, but Bentley made three 3s on four Connecticut possessions to pull to 79-77. After a Minnesota turnover, Chiney Ogwumike went coast-to-coast for a layup to tie it and Lindsay Whalen missed a layup at the buzzer.The Sun closed regulation on a 13-4 run.In overtime, Camille Little hit a 3-pointer and had a steal on the other, leading to Jonquel Jones baseline jumper for a 91-87 Connecticut lead. Moore made two free throws to get Minnesota to 91-89 with 31.9 seconds left and had a steal on Connecticuts next possession. After a timeout, Moore was whistled for an offensive foul and Bentley made two free throws for a two-possession lead.ddddddddddddBentley finished with 24 points for Connecticut (5-13), which is ranked 11th in the AP power poll. Ogwumike added 21 points.Moore was just 1 of 9 from the floor for two points in the first half, but she had 15 points in the third quarter and 16 points in the fourth for second-ranked Minnesota (15-4). She made 13 of 27 shots for her third career 40-plus scoring game.Whalen scored four quick points in the first quarter to become the 15th player in WNBA history to reach 5,000 points. Shes the first player in the league to have 5,000 points, 2,000 assists and 1,500 rebounds. ' ' '