It's a potential first-round playoff preview as the Boston Celtics head to Canada to take on the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Celtics-Raptors prediction and pick.
The Celtics throttled the Minnesota Timberwolves 134-112 on Sunday at TD Garden. Jayson Tatum exploded for 34 points, hitting five 3-pointers while also distributing six assists. Furthermore, Jaylen Brown went off for 31 points. He nailed three shots from beyond the arc and snagged 10 rebounds.
Robert Williams had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, but he exited the game with a knee injury and is set to miss at least a few weeks. The Celtics are in a tie for the top seed in the Eastern Conference, with a showdown with the Miami Heat looming later this week. Boston has been on fire, owning an 11-1 record in March.
The Raptors devoured the Indiana Pacers 131-91 on Saturday night. Pascal Siakam scored 23 points, shooting 10-for-15 from the field. Additionally, he contributed six rebounds and seven assists. Scottie Barnes was solid with 19 points, going 8-for-11 from the floor. Moreover, Barnes also grabbed six rebounds and had seven assists. OG Anunoby contributed as well with 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting. He nailed three shots from beyond the arc. Chris Boucher chipped in a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, and Toronto's reserves racked up 62 points. The Raptors are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and have gone 8-2 over their last 10 games.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Celtics-Raptors odds.
NBA Odds: Celtics-Raptors Odds
Celtics: +4.5 (-110)
Raptors: -4.5 (-110)
Over: 212.5 (-110)
Under: 212.5 (-110)
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Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
Boston has owned Toronto over the last three years, going 7-3 over the past 10 games in the regular season. The teams faced off in the playoffs in 2020 in the bubble. The Celtics won that series, 4-3. This season, the Celtics went into Toronto and upended the Raptors, 109-97. Now, the Celtics could win the season series yet again. The most pivotal factor is the battle of the boards.
In Boston's win in Toronto, they controlled the boards, 53-44. Al Horford was a major contributor by pulling down 11 rebounds. He will miss this game due to personal reasons. Because of this, the Celtics will need a boost from others. With Horford and Williams out, Tatum is the guy. He averages 27.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. It will be up to him to carry the load on the boards. Likewise, he and his teammates (Daniel Theis will have to step up in the frontcourt) could tip the scales in their favor if they cause the Raptors to take terrible shots.
The Raptors shot 31 percent from beyond the arc in the previous meeting. Because of this, it allowed the Celtics to control the pace and limit the opportunities. The Celtics could cover the spread if they outrebound the Raptors and force Toronto to attempt difficult shots.
Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread
The Raptors steamrolled the Celtics in the October matchup at TD Garden. Toronto did this by converting 100 percent of its free-throw attempts, winning the battle on the boards, and winning the turnover battle. The Raptors defended well, mostly clamping down on Tatum. He scored 18 points on 8-for-14 shooting. The rest of the Boston starters combined for 20 points. Marcus Smart was nonexistent in this game as he scored 0 points, missing all six shot attempts. Amazingly, the Raptors did this without Siakam, who was still recovering from an injury. Still, Toronto dominated on the boards, 60-42. They won the turnover battle as well, 19-11.
Now, they have Siakam available, and he is an integral part of the game plan. He averages 22.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. His play will determine whether the Raptors snap out of their struggles against the Celtics. Also, the 3-point battle comes into play. Both teams rank right in the middle of the pack in 3-point shooting percentage. If Toronto can convert its 3-point attempts, it could pick up the home win. The Raptors could cover the spread if they win the battle on the boards, convert their 3-point attempts, limit their turnovers, and contain Tatum.
Final Celtics-Raptors Prediction & Pick
This will be a fun playoff-like battle, with both teams scorching-hot right now. The Celtics have been the best team in the NBA for a few months now, but they're going to be without their two key big men in the starting lineup. This will hurt them on both ends of the court, but Boston has the talent to overcome. This Celtics team is playing so well they should at least still cover.
Final Celtics-Raptors Prediction & Pick: Celtics +4.5 (-110)
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