Hedo Turkoglu was signed to a huge free agent contract -- five years and $53 million -- and the freefalling Raptors are still waiting on a return for their investment. The 11-year veteran, who made a name as a big-time fourth quarter player in Orlando, has failed twice in Toronto's two closest games this season. He missed a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer earlier this season in a one-point loss at Phoenix and then had an unimaginably bad fourth quarter this week against Washington. Turkoglu was 0-for-6 from the field, committed a crucial turnover in the final 30 seconds and also had couple of glaring defensive lapses that led directly to key Wizards' baskets. And if he doesn't get his game together, Toronto will fall further into a funk because they simply need more production out of that spot.
Turkoglu will get a chance to redeem himself against the Wizards when Toronto is in Washington in its next game Friday and if the same opportunity presents itself late in a close game, he's going to have a chance to make a play.
"I'm not going to take the ball out of his hands," coach Jay Triano said. "I mean, he's a guy who's made plays in the past and feels as bad about it as anybody. If we do it again, we give him the basketball. He's a guy who can make plays for people."
HAWKS 146, RAPTORS 115: Suffering their worst loss of the season, an entire mail-in job from the opening minutes, Toronto was embarrassed in Atlanta and has now lost a season-high five straight games.
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