The Brooklyn Nets will head down to Tampa to take on the Toronto Raptors for the second time this season. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Nets-Raptors prediction and pick.
Toronto was able to conquer the first matchup of the season by six points. Toronto is finally starting to string together some wins down the stretch while Brooklyn is looking to surpass the 76ers for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Nets-Raptors odds.
NBA Odds: Nets-Raptors Odds
Brooklyn Nets +4.5 (-111)
Over 229.5 Points (-110)
Under 229.5 Points (-110)
Why The Nets Could Cover The Spread
The Brooklyn Nets have wavered over the past few games since losing both Kevin Durant and James Harden to nagging injuries. Durant just suffered a bruised quad and Harden has suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury. The NBA odds for this matchup heavily reflect the impact of those two being out. That leaves Kyrie Irving and his supporting cast with the task of surpassing the 76ers in the Eastern Conference with just a few weeks left to play. Kyrie and crew got a big win against New Orleans on Tuesday, thanks to some key contributions down the line.
Irving led the way for Brooklyn in the win with 32 points and eight assists. Steve Nash’s group was moving the ball a ton as Landry Shamet added 18 points and eight assists and Jeff Green delivered 15 points and nine assists against the Pelicans. Joe Harris, Bruce Brown, and Blake Griffin rounded out the bunch with incredible contributions to secure a huge victory for the Nets. Brooklyn’s flaw all season long has been their play on the defensive end and they will have to clean that up against a Toronto team that is starting to put some wins together late.
Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread
The Toronto Raptors have been bit by the injury bug as well, but have strung together three-straight wins in impressive fashion. Kyle Lowry has been out for all three wins and Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Fred VanVleet have each played in just one of the games each. With all of the injuries, we have seen a rise from some overlooked talents on this roster. Paul Watson headlined the recent win against Orlando with 30 points in his first career start.
Yuta Watanabe also delivered a career-high 21 points in the win and earned himself a guaranteed deal for the rest of the year after the game. Rookie sensation Malachi Flynn has continued to improve and brings a spark to this team that is hard to match. Although these teams look different in 2021 than in year’s past, Toronto has owned this head-to-head series in recent history. The Raptors are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 games against the Brooklyn Nets coming in.
Final Nets-Raptors Prediction & Pick
Why do we keep falling into the trap of betting against the Nets recently? Despite the injuries, Brooklyn has still played like a top team in the east and continues to see key contributions down their roster. The Nets will continue to find ways to win games down the stretch as they know the importance of surpassing Philadelphia in the standings. Brooklyn is the better team with a lot more to play for in this game.
FINAL PICK: Brooklyn Nets +4.5 (-111)
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