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The NBA regular season is in full swing and continues with games on Wednesday. The Toronto Raptors will hit the road and take on the San Antonio Spurs. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Raptors-Spurs prediction and pick.
These two teams have had somewhat different seasons so far. The Toronto Raptors have been struggling recently and are coming off of three straight losses. While the San Antonio Spurs have also struggled and have lost four of their last five matches. This should be an interesting game between two struggling teams.
Here are the Raptors-Spurs NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Raptors-Spurs Odds
Toronto Raptors: -2.5 (-108)
San Antonio Spurs: +2.5 (-112)
Over: 228.5 (-110)
Under: 228.5 (-110)
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Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread
The Toronto Raptors were gaining momentum prior to the all-star break, however appear to be trending downwards as of late. Through their first 64 games, the Raptors have a winning record of 34-30. However, they are coming off three straight losses. What's even worse is that two of those losses came against two of the worst teams in the league, the Pistons, and the Magic. Their most recent loss came against the Cavaliers by 8. Toronto will look to turn things around against another easy opponent. This is a very winnable game for Toronto, but they need to step things up. With the way they've been playing lately, this one could go either way.
The Cavaliers only had Jarrett Allen for 10 minutes in that game but they still managed to dominate the Raptors. The problems in this team lie in the bench. Toronto has been leaning far too heavily on their starters to carry the team. In their loss to Cleveland, their bench contributed 8 points, and it was all from one player. The Raptors' offense has been struggling big time and if they want to get back on track they need to step things up. This game against the Spurs should be a win for Toronto, but anything could happen.
One of the biggest reasons for this team's struggles have been injuries. The Raptors have not been at full health. While they have struggled to adapt, it looks like that will continue to be the case on Wednesday. Toronto has four players listed on their injury report. Of those players, only Fred VanVleet is listed as questionable. If VanVleet returns to action that would be a huge offensive boost for the Raptors. He has already reported that he will play, but that is unofficial. Regardless, if he does play, things will be looking good for Toronto.
Why The Spurs Could Cover The Spread
The San Antonio Spurs have had a very underwhelming season. San Antonio has just been one of those teams that continues to lack competitiveness. Through their first 65 games, they only have a record of 25-40. While they may not be the worst team in the league, they are definitely towards the bottom. They have lost four of their last five matches, but are coming off a seven-point victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs will look to build on that win and get another against the Raptors. Toronto has looked vulnerable, and if things go their way, the Spurs could exploit that.
This Spurs team has potential. They are extremely well balanced, and that was put on full display against the Lakers. Both playing time and scoring were fairly evenly distributed among the team. Seven players played for 20+ minutes and five scored in the double digits. While Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poeltl may be the leaders on this team, they have enough depth that they can lean on their teammates. In their recent losses, they relied too heavily on their best players to carry them, but the Spurs have shown that when everyone steps up they can compete and beat solid opponents.
One of the best things for this team is that they are at nearly full health. Currently, the Spurs have only two players listed on their injury report. Neither of the unavailable players should impact the outcome of this game. San Antonio has the majority of its roster intact and will be able to put its best players on the court. If the whole team steps up then they could take advantage of a vulnerable Raptors team and get this win.
Final Raptors-Spurs Prediction & Pick
This is a tough pick. The Raptors are a better team than San Antonio, but they have been struggling recently. If Fred VanVleet returns, as he has already said he will, then that would be a huge gain for the Raptors. The Spurs have also been struggling, and in spite of a win against the Lakers, they have not looked competitive. Given all of this, pick the Raptors to win and cover.
FINAL RAPTORS-SPURS PICK: Toronto Raptors -2.5 (-108)
FINAL RAPTORS-SPURS SCORE PREDICTION: Raptors 112 – Spurs 108
