Can the Toronto Raptors Keep Moving Toward an NBA Playoff Berth?
One look at BetMGM’s NBA futures for the Eastern Conference tells you what oddsmakers think of the Raptors currently.
No movement over the past few days, even after their impressive win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.
Sportsbooks Don't Think Much of Raptors
BetMGM currently has the Raptors at 81.0 to win the Eastern Conference, ninth in the conference in terms of odds.
After jettisoning Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in trades, Brooklyn saw the most dramatic line movement in the East over the past few days, now at 67.0 after sitting last week at 41.0.
The Boston Celtics are on top at 2.05, getting 18 per cent of tickets and 20 per cent of the handle at BetMGM.
PointsBet Canada has the Raptors making the playoffs at 2.10, missing the playoffs at 1.74.
The Raptors sit in ninth spot in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards are right on their tail at 10.
The Nets are sixth and in the final playoff spot. But they’re dropping, and If the Raptors are looking to climb up the standings a few rungs to at least get home court in the play-in tournament, this season taking place April 11-14, with the winners moving into the first round, then they can’t be giving away any more games with teams lower than them in the standings.
The Raptors are a better basketball team since trading for centre Jakob Poeltl, winning eight of 10. Fred VanVleet returned to the lineup against Chicago (team-high nine assists), so there are no injuries to report.
Raptors Have to Get those 'Winnable Games'
Beating teams lower than them in the standings is simply a must this late in the season, after throwing up a stinker against the fourth place Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, a 118-93 loss.
Their performance in that game is part of the reason oddsmakers have them where they are. They have to show they can beat teams higher in the East standings, and those in the West with better records, starting next week with a west coast road swing, including a home and home against the No. 1 Denver Nuggets. After this trip, we’ll have a better read on where the Raptors are.
The Raptors are close to that sixth spot in the Eastern Conference, which automatically gets them into the playoffs. But they’ll have to leap over the Miami Heat (33-30) and the Atlanta Hawks (31-31). They have one more game against the Heat – March 28 at home and no more games against the Hawks.
Interestingly, BetMGM has the Wizards at 201.0 to win the conference, considering how tight they are with the Raptors in the standings. The Wizards have struggled to defend in games recently, music to the ears of Raptors players like Pascal Siakam – on a season-high tying eight game streak with 20 or more points. He’s the only player in the East averaging 25+ points, 7+ rebounds and 6+ assists.
PointsBet Canada has Siakam Over 23.5 at 1.87. That’s a good bet. NorthStar Bets has the Moneyline at Raptors 1.77, Wizards 2.05. Over at DraftKings it’s Moneyline Raptors 1.77 (getting 61 per cent of the handle, 55 per cent of the bets), Wizards 2.1.
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