The Toronto Raptors’ approach to rebuilding is somewhat unconventional. They may possess an excess of talent to contend with the league’s worst teams. Examine their most recent match in which they surpassed Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.
They even defeated the Boston Celtics 110-97 as 14-point home underdogs during their last encounter in Toronto on January 15. In this instance, bookies are affording the Raptors greater respect by allocating them an 11-point advantage in tonight’s rematch.
Is that an excessive response to the current NBA champions? My predictions for the Celtics versus Raptors analyse the matchup and present my NBA selections for this Atlantic Division contest, scheduled to commence at 7 PM ET at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Tuesday, February 25.
Prediction for Raptors versus Celtics
My selection for the Raptors is RJ Barrett. Exceeding 6.5 rebounds (+120 at PointsBet Canada)
My assessment
It became evident that once the Toronto Raptors regained their health, they would be unable to continue losing to teams such as the Washington Wizards or the Charlotte Hornets.
The subsequent stage of the Raptors’ reconstruction involved acquiring talent through trade, culminating in the acquisition and extension of Brandon Ingram. Nonetheless, Ingram will remain unavailable for a period due to an ankle issue.
Despite Toronto’s enhanced performance, currently ranked 14th in net rating over the past 15 games, it is noteworthy that they are positioned as 11-point home underdogs versus the Boston Celtics, particularly when the spread was 14 points just a month prior.
Since that time, little has altered, except for the Raptors performing exceptionally well during the meeting on January 15. Nonetheless, there were also speculations that the Toronto nightlife adversely affected Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown before that game.
A team with championship experience, now ranked third in net rating and on a five-game winning streak both outright and against the spread, is unlikely to let a recurrence of that situation.
I am deliberately avoiding this spread, as I anticipate the Celtics to cover it, and instead, I am focussing on an individual who has posed a challenge for Boston this season. That individual is RJ Barrett.
Barrett enters this game with an average of 21.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. In a November 16 contest in Boston, Barrett achieved a triple-double, accumulating 25 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds. He subsequently recorded a performance of 22 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in the January 15 encounter.
Despite the Celtics’ numerous strengths, they are, as the youth express, “mediocre” in their rebounding performance. Boston is positioned 14th in rebounding rate and 15th in opponent rebounds per game.
Barrett is well-suited to compete against this Celtics group, and at favourable odds, I will support him to exceed 6.5 rebounds. He has performed similarly in both encounters versus Boston this season.
RJ Barrett’s ex-teammate from the Knicks is also excelling. Immanuel Quickley is beginning to resemble the player he was post-acquisition by the Raptors last season, after a first half of the season plagued by ailments.
Quickley has scored 20 or more points in four of his previous five games, achieving an outstanding shooting percentage of 46.3% from beyond the arc. Sportsbooks have not adequately adjusted Quickley’s point totals. Therefore, let us incorporate Over 17.5 points into this same-game parlay.
Let us conclude this SGP with Kristaps Porzingis over 7.5 rebounds. He is averaging 6.9 rebounds per game this season, but he has a favourable matchup today. Jakob Poeltl remains uncertain due to a hip ailment. Porzingis is expected to have plenty opportunities to operate in the paint and secured eight rebounds in his sole encounter against the Raptors this season.
