Raptors vs. Cavs Prediction
Can the Toronto Raptors beat an under-manned Cleveland Cavaliers when the two close out the season today at 8PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Raptors are favored on the road, as they are getting odds of -1.5 points against the Cavaliers. The over/under total for the game is listed at 202 points. Cleveland has won five straight meetings with the Raptors, including all three meetings this season.
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Cleveland is on a three-game losing streak, including back-to-back OT road losses. The Cavs are 51-30 on the season, 1 game behind Boston in the Eastern Conference standings. Despite the Cavs needing a win to get home-court in the playoffs, they still plan to rest their key players. LeBron James will be rested while Kyrie Irving is questionable because of his knee injury. The Cavs are just 1-2 against the spread in their last three games and 36-42-3 against the spread on the season. They are averaging 116.4 points per game over their last 5, but allowing 111.4 on defense.
Toronto is riding a three-game win streak coming into tonight. The Raptors are 50-31 on the season and locked into the third seed in the East. That won’t change with a win or a loss. The Raptors aren’t listing anyone as out right now, but DeMar DeRozan is battling an illness and listed as questionable. Toronto is 44-36-1 against the spread this season. They have averaged 102.8 points per game on offense over their last five while allowing 101.2 on defense in that same span. DeRozan is putting up 27.3 points per game while Kyle Lowry is adding 22.6 points and 7 assists per game.
Cleveland is resting key players, but the Raptors are likely to do the same. Cleveland may still have Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson in action, so they will give their all to try and get a win. A Toronto win could give them some added confidence heading into the postseason, but I still like the Cavs at home. While the win clearly isn’t the highest priority for the franchise, the players on the floor will be looking for it to happen.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS +1.5