Sunday's Best NBA Bets
Los Angeles Lakers at Toronto Raptors (+7, 210)
The Toronto Raptors may have caught a break with one of their greatest rivals coming to the Air Canada Centre Saturday.
Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are in town, however. But Bryant less than 100 percent after suffering a sprained pinkie finger on his shooting hand in the Lakers’ 93-81 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
"It was tough to hold the basketball, so it really affected it," Bryant told the Los Angeles Times.
He went just 3 for 11 from the field, including 0 for 3 from beyond the arc, for only nine points versus his hometown Sixers. It marked the first time this season that Bryant has failed to score in double figures.
Bryant has averaged 35.8 points per game over his last 10 meetings with the Raptors, including his 81-point performance on January 22, 2006.
However, Toronto has managed to come through for bettors in that span, posting a 5-1-4 ATS mark despite winning just two of those 10 contests.
Pick: Toronto
Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics (-9, 192)
Losing your All-Star point guard is a blow only the Boston Celtics could absorb.
With Rajon Rondo on the sidelines, the veteran-heavy Celtics have kept their winning streak rolling, picking up victory No. 12 against the Atlanta Hawks Thursday. Boston is 7-4-1 against the spread during this stretch.
“We’re playing with seven (regular members of the rotation), two rookies, and Von (Wafer) goes down at halftime,” Kevin Garnett told reporters following Thursday’s win. “Paul said that this game was going to be more mental than anything — we just had to grind it out.
“So what are you going to do?” he said. “Are you going to quit, put on your clothes and go home? Gutsy is an understatement.”
Rondo isn’t the only player nursing an injury. Centers Jermaine and Shaquille O’Neal are banged up and reserve guard Von Wafer is dealing with a back injury.
However, role players like Nate Robinson, Semih Erden and Glen Davis have all stepped up to keep Boston’s streak alive. Those three combined for 42 of the team’s 102 points against the Hawks.
“I don’t know if I’m surprised or not,” Doc Rivers about the Celtics’ red-hot run. “They’re just playing well and executing well. Paul basically became the point forward in the second half, and it really worked out for us. I don’t know if we stumbled on it, or if we were forced into it. But it was terrific.”
Pick: Boston