Thunder vs. Raptors Pick
Will the Toronto Raptors be able to hold off Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder when they meet tonight at 7PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Raptors are the slight favorite, as Toronto is getting odds of -2.5 points against the Thunder. The over/under total for the game is listed at 207.5 points. Toronto won the first meeting in OKC, 112-102 back on Nov. 9. The Raptors are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven against the Thunder.
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Oklahoma City is on a three-game winning streak, beating the likes of the Spurs, Jazz and Nets in the last week. The Thunder are now 38-29 on the season and in the sixth spot in the West. OKC is 37-29-1 against the spread on the season and averaging 106.6 points per game on offense while allowing 106.2 on defense. Away from home, OKC is just 13-20 overall while scoring just 102.7 points on offense and giving up 108.3 on average. Russell Westbrook is leading the team with 31.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game while Victor Oladipo adds 16.4 points per contest.
Toronto is coming off a 100-78 win at home over Dallas. The Raptors are now 39-28 on the season and sit in fourth in the East, just 5.5 games out of first place. Toronto is 36-30-1 against the spread this season and have put up a 22-11 record at home. Toronto averages 107.2 points per game on offense while allowing 103.4 on defense. At home, the Raptors score 110.6 points per game and allow 102.3 on defense. DeMar DeRozan is leading the team with 27.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. The Raptors continue to be without Kyle Lowry, who is recovering from a wrist injury. The Raptors are 6-4 in his absence.
Oklahoma City isn’t a team I can trust on the road. The Thunder just don’t bring the same intensity away from OKC. Westbrook has to do it all and his supporting cast doesn’t show up often on the road. Toronto may be somewhat short-handed, but the Raptors have enough of a defense to keep the Thunder from getting hot tonight.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: TORONTO RAPTORS -2.5