Raptors at Nets: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets (OFF)
The Toronto Raptors will be without their leading scorer in what is easily the team's biggest game of the season to date. DeMar DeRozan did not travel with the team for Monday's game against the host Brooklyn Nets after suffering a sprained left foot in Saturday's 126-118 home defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers. The good news for Toronto: they may have a suitable scoring replacement after Terrence Ross exploded for a club record-tying 51 points in defeat.
Ross' sensational game overshadowed DeRozan's injury and a forgettable performance by the normally reliable Toronto defense, which allowed the Clippers to shoot 54.8 percent from the field. A better defensive effort will be needed against the Nets, who earned an emotional 85-76 victory in Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett's return to Boston. Brooklyn has won five straight and 10 of 11 to move to within a game and a half of Toronto atop the Atlantic Division.
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Toronto (-7.5) - Brooklyn (-6.5) + home court (-3) = Brooklyn -2
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (22-21, 25-18 ATS): The absence of the normally durable DeRozan will force the Raptors to rely more heavily on their secondary scoring options - and they have some good ones. Point guard Kyle Lowry has been one of the best at his position over the past two months - averaging 18.3 points in December and 16.7 so far in January - while Ross has shown flashes of his immense potential and center Jonas Valanciunas remains a reliable option in the middle. Valanciunas also leads the team with 14 double-doubles.
ABOUT THE NETS (20-22, 21-21 ATS): Moving past Sunday's emotionally-charged victory in Boston shouldn't be hard for a veteran Brooklyn team that was expected to run away with the division title but got off to a dreadful start to the season. But with point guard Deron Williams finally healthy and the various role players contributing at both ends of the court, the Nets have been the league's hottest team since the flip of the calendar. But things are about to get a lot tougher, with games against Oklahoma City and Indiana coming up later this week.
TRENDS:
* Home team is 6-1-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Raptors are 3-1-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Under is 19-8 in the last 27 meetings in Brooklyn.
* Underdog is 3-1-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The teams have split a pair of meetings this season, both in Toronto.
2. Ross had 14 points in his last game against Brooklyn, a 96-80 Raptors vistory.
3. The Nets are just 2-6 in the second game of back-to-backs.