Raptors vs. Wizards Pick
Can the Washington Wizards stay hot tonight when they host the Toronto Raptors at 7PM ET in a battle of two of the East’s best?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Wizards are favored at home, as they are getting odds of -5 points against the Raptors. The over/under total for the game is listed at 208 points. These two have met twice this season, with the road team winning and covering the spread in both meetings.
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The Wizards have won two straight, including a 105-96 win at Toronto on Wednesday. Washington is now 36-23 on the season and in the third spot in the East, five games behind Cleveland for first. The Wizards are 34-25 against the spread on the season, covering in their last two games. The Wizards are averaging 107.9 points per game on offense this season and allowing 105.4. At home, Washington averages 110.1 points per game. Bradley Beal is averaging 22.6 points per game to lead the team while John Wall is adding 22.5 points and 10.9 assists per game.
Toronto had its four game win streak snapped by the Wizards on Wednesday to fall to 36-25 on the season. The Raptors currently sit a game behind the Wizards in the East playoff race. Toronto is 33-27-1 against the spread on the season, but just 2-6 against the spread in its last eight. The Raptors average 108 points per game on offense while the defense is allowing 104 per game. When on the road, the offense dips to 104.8 per game while allowing 105.1 on defense. The team is without Kyle Lowry until April because of a wrist injury. He was averaging 22.8 points and 6.9 assists per game. DeMar DeRozan is leading the team with 27.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while newly acquired Serge Ibaka is adding 17.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest.
Washington is playing as well as anyone and the Wizards are coming off a 9-point win at Toronto. That should carry over into another victory tonight when they host the Raptors. Toronto is a great team with Lowry, but the Raptors are not the same without him. John Wall should be able to dominate the game with Lowry out and carry the Wizards to a cover.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: WASHINGTON WIZARDS -5