The Toronto Raptors will try to stay alive again as they meet the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5 of the first-round series. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Raptors-76ers prediction and pick.

The Raptors defeated the 76ers 110-102 in Game 4 to stay alive in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Now, Toronto has the monumental task of going into Philadelphia and stealing a win.

 

Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 34 points, eight rebounds, and five assists while shooting 10-for-19. Gary Trent Jr. helped the Raptors with 24 points and shot 3-for-10 from beyond the arc. OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet did not have the greatest nights. Anunoby managed 11 points on 3-for-13 shooting. Meanwhile, ValVleet scored five points before leaving the game with a hip injury. The Raptors' bench combined for 36 points to sustain the lead.

James Harden scored 22 points and had nine assists for the 76ers. He shot just 5-for-17, though, going 2-for-8 from beyond the arc. Joel Embiid added 21 points with eight rebounds. In addition, Tobias Harris contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds and shot 7-for-12. Meanwhile, the bench added 27 points for the Sixers.

The fourth quarter was monumental for the Raptors. Siakam scored 15 of his 34 points in the final frame. Significantly, it was a good bounce back after he failed to score a point in the second half of Game 3. It helped Toronto seal the game and send the series back to Philadelphia. Also, Embiid played with a right thumb injury, which hindered him. Coach Doc Rivers revealed that Embiid has a torn thumb ligament and that he will play through the injury for the rest of the playoffs.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Raptors-76ers odds.

NBA Odds: Raptors-76ers Game 5 Odds

Raptors: +8 (-110)

76ers: -8 (-110)

Over: 211 (-110)

Under: 211 (-110)

*Watch NBA Games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread

Toronto has everything on the line. Now, they must pull out all the stops to stun the Sixers and send the series back home. It starts with containing Harden and Embiid. Specifically, the Raptors must hone in on Embiid and make things as uncomfortable as possible for the All-Star. The Raptors have Harden and Harris to worry about, as well as Tyrese Maxey. Moreover, Toronto must stop him to avoid letting what happened in Game 1 occur again.

Maxey burned the Raptors for 38 points in the series opener. Now, Toronto must figure out how to contain him in addition to the three stars. The Raptors need to build an early lead to throw the Sixers off their game. Thus, Anunoby must get involved. He scored 20 in the opener and 26 each over the next two. However, Anunoby went missing in Game 4. The Raptors need him more than ever, especially with VanVleet out for Game 5 because of his hip injury.

Lastly, the Raptors need Siakam to control the game again. Toronto often rose and fell with Siakam this season.

The Raptors will cover the spread if they can stop Embiid and Harden. Additionally, Toronto cannot let other options like Maxey burn them. If the Raptors can jump out to an early lead, it can give them the traction needed to cover and possibly steal the game.

Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread

Philadelphia has dominated many aspects of this series. The Sixers' ability to control the boards has generally been an asset, but it wasn't last game. The Sixers lost the rebounding battle by five in Game 4 and will look to turn that around in Game 5. Philadelphia could also use a better performance from Harden. He missed plenty of shots and must rectify that in Game 5. Moreover, Harden must rediscover his ability to hit shots from beyond the arc.

This game will be telling for Embiid, who expressed a lot of pain due to his injury and will fight through the pain to keep the Sixers alive. He managed 21 points in Game 4 despite the ailment. Embiid will look to produce more to send the Sixers into the second round.

The Sixers will cover the spread if they win the rebounding battle. Additionally, Harden must take ownership of this series, especially with Embiid hurting.

Final Raptors-76ers Game 5 Prediction & Pick

This series could be tied heading into Game 5 had the Raptors hit a few more pivotal shots in Game 3. However, Toronto lost that vital game and found itself down 3-0 heading into Game 4. The Raptors managed to snag a victory to avoid a sweep, but playing in Philadelphia has been a chore for them. The Sixers blew the Raptors out in both games at home. This is a story where it is easy to see where it is ending, especially with Fred VanVleet out. The Raptors will fight but succumb to the 76ers in the end. Ultimately, Philadelphia wins the game and covers the spread, propelling into the second round of the playoffs.

Final Raptors-76ers Game 5 Prediction & Pick: 76ers: -8 (-110)