Toronto Locked-In For The Play-In | Raptors vs Celtics | OSB
Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics
By Sam Batz
On Friday, April 7th the Toronto Raptors face the Boston Celtics in TD Garden for the second consecutive matchup of the week (7:30 PM EST, NBA League Pass). The Celtics beat the Raptors 97-93 on Wednesday, April 5th, and will run it back for their second to last game of the season. Boston is favored but the Raptors kept it close on Wednesday, holding the Celtics to fewer than 100 points for just the 7th time this season. Boston clinched the No. 2 seed in the East with the win over the Raptors, while Toronto clinched a play-in position. Boston is favored but they are dealing with several injuries, and may decide to rest key players as they prepare to enter the postseason.
Toronto Raptors Breakdown
The Toronto Raptors are 40-40 (50.0%) and with just 2 games left on their schedule, are incapable of making the top-6, and will need to get through the play-in tournament in order to see the playoffs. The good news is the Raptors already clinched a play-in position, and are guaranteed to end the year as the 8 seed, 9 seed, or 10 seed. The Raptors went 6-4 in their last 10 games and were on a two-game winning streak before falling to Boston on Wednesday. Toronto has a 36% chance to make the playoffs, which isn’t great. They are a top-10 defense, in terms of points allowed per game, but Toronto has a middling offense and struggles to win games on the road, which may come back to haunt them in the postseason.
Boston Celtics Breakdown
The Boston Celtics were one of the first teams in the NBA to clinch a spot in the postseason. They are 55-25 (68.8%) and the No. 2 seed in the East, where they are guaranteed to stay come playoff time. There is very little the Celtics can do in the dying embers of the regular season, and with key players nursing injuries, don’t be surprised if Boston’s bench sees a lot more playing time in their final two games. The Celtics had a great season, and are eager to get back to the NBA Finals after coming up short last year, losing to the Golden State Warriors in 6 games. The Celtics have the best odds to not only make the finals, but to win the whole thing, and with the talent and experience they have at their disposal, don’t be shocked when Boston collects their 18th ring.
Raptors vs. Celtics Odds
Team | Current Spread | Current Total | Current Moneyline |
Toronto Raptors | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Boston Celtics | N/A | N/A | N/A |
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Raptors vs. Celtics: Season Stats
Toronto Raptors (40-40) L1 112.9 (23rd) 111.3 (5th) 45.8 (T-26th) 33.6 (28th) 114.6 (T-12th) 113.1 (T-10th) 26-14 (65.0%) 14-26 (35.0%) | Stat Type Streak (W/L) Points/Game Opponent Points/Game Field Goal % Three-Point % Offensive Rating Defensive Rating Home Record (Win-Rate) Away Record (Win-Rate) | Boston Celtics (55-25) W1 117.9 (4th) 111.5 (6th) 47.5 (15th) 37.6 (6th) 117.1 (T-2nd) 110.6 (3rd) 30-9 (76.9%) 25-16 (60.9%) |
Raptors vs. Celtics: Betting Trends
Toronto Raptors 40-38-2 16-23-1 (Away) 25-23-2 (vs. East) 41-36-3 3-6-1 10-21 (as Underdogs) 7-17 (Underdogs Away) | Betting Trend ATS (Season) ATS (Home/Away) ATS (Conference) O/U (Season) O/U (Last 10) ML (Favorite/Underdog) ML (Home/Away) | Boston Celtics 43-36-1 22-17 (Home) 29-21 (vs. East) 40-39-1 6-4 51-21 (as Favorites) 29-9 (Favorites Home) |
Raptors vs. Celtics: Game Changers
Toronto Raptors
- Pascal Siakam leads the Raptors in points per game (24.3) and rebounds per game (7.9). Siakam averages 28.7 points per game against Boston
- Fred VanVleet leads the Raptors in assists per game (7.2) but averages just 7.5 points per game against Boston
- The Raptors win 35% of the time on the road and 29.2% of the time as underdogs on the road
Boston Celtics
- Jayson Tatum leads the Celtics with 30.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Tatum averages 31.0 points per game against Toronto but will not play due to injury
- The Celtics have 4 players listed as Day-to-Day/Doubtful on the injury report; Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, Al Horford, and Payton Pritchard all missed Wednesday’s matchup with Toronto on Wednesday (4/5)
- Jaylen Brown (25 pts) & Malcolm Brogdon (29 pts) led the Celtics against the Raptors on Wednesday
Raptors vs. Celtics Prediction
Take the Toronto Raptors to win the game. Half-way through the season, Boston would undoubtedly be the favorite to win. But with essentially nothing to gain, I expect the Celtics to rest most of their key players in order to 1) prevent any further injuries before the playoffs and 2) get their inexperienced players a taste of real NBA minutes. The Raptors on the other hand, have a lot to gain from a victory on Friday, and will play their regular starting line-up. Toronto is hoping to pass Atlanta in the standings and secure the No. 8 seed, and thus home court advantage for the play-in, which the Raptors desperately need (win-rate at home: 65%).
Prediction: Toronto Raptors Moneyline
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