Hello good people and happy new week! Our NBA plays have been white hot lately – we’re up 36 units since early January and we’re 12-4, for +14 units the last 6 days! If you’re interested in my premium picks (which are delivered directly to your inbox every day), join now by clicking this link! This heater isn’t ordinary and it’s bound to flame out, at least somewhat, here soon. Hop on the train! Onto today’s free pick!
Raptors -2 (-110), 1 unit: If you watch me on the BetUS NBA show at all, you know how much I like this Raptors team. So is it possible that there’s some inherent bias in this pick? Sure. But it also doesn’t mean I’m wrong about the Raptors. Toronto has ascended, as I thought they might, as soon as they got fully healthy. They now sit comfortably in the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference, they’ve won 5 in a row, and they’ve only lost 6 games since the start of January. Let’s look at some of the reasons why the Raptors have found so much success:
- Siakam and Anunoby on the court together isn’t fair. They’re both very similar players – Siakam is 6’8″, Anunoby is 6’7″, and they’re long, intelligent starters who give opponents a ton of problems in the paint. Oh and they can shoot from anywhere.
- Scottie Barnes is one of the best rookies in the NBA and he’s been starting for Toronto for quite some time now. He’s good for 15 ppg and 8 rpg (rebounds per game) and he’s shooting 47% from the field.
- The combination of Gary Trent Jr. and Freddie VanFleet is tough to beat. Trent Jr. recently had 5 straight games scoring over 30 points. He plays with a confidence and work-ethic that’s hard to duplicate. VanFleet has been up and down lately but he made the All-Star team for a reason. This guard combo throws a lot of teams off– Toronto has so much length and size in the front court, and they’re back court has 2 ace shooters with high basketball IQs. In my humble opinion, Toronto’s starting 5 is one of the best in the association right now.
- While their depth can suffer at times, they have very able bodies. They have more length, more shooting talent, and they’re a highly disciplined roster directed by one of the most underrated coaches in the NBA in Nick Nurse.
- Since January 1, the Raptors are a top 10 offense and defense, and only the Grizzlies have eclipsed their offensive rebounding rate (though not by much). Their second-chance opportunities are a massive strength. PS – the Hornets really struggle preventing offensive rebounds.
The Raptors are also the kind of team that’s given Charlotte problems lately. Heading into this contest, the Hornets lost 4 in a row to these teams: Clippers, Celtics, Cavs, and Heat. What do all these teams have in common? They’re all slow-paced, defense-predicated units. Once one of the most potent offenses in the NBA, Charlotte was held to 96 ppg during that stretch. Tonight they face a very similarly built group.
The Raptors play slow, they’re great on defense (especially in the paint), and they don’t commit turnovers. They’re in a flow-state right now, and it’s probably the reason why this line has moved so much the past 12 hours. It opened with Charlotte as a home favorite, and while it’s moving back down a tad right now, the Raptors are currently 2 point favorites. Toronto dominated the Hornets in their first matchup and I think this game will go the same way. The Raptors are healthy, they’re off 3 days rest (which they greatly needed), and they have advantages all over the court. Charlotte will need to shoot exceptionally well to win this game. I’m on the Raptors winning and covering a small line.
