NBA Odds: Raptors (even)
The Toronto Raptors (37-20) welcome the Golden State Warriors (44-10) in a matchup that pits the third-ranked offense against the first-ranked defense. The game gets underway at 7:30 pm ET on Friday, Feb. 27 and will air on CSN-BA and TSN.
The Raptors lost to the Mavericks 99-92 on Tuesday. Greivis Vasquez was the top performer for the Raptors, finishing with 14 points, two assists, and one steal. The Warriors, meanwhile, are coming off a 114-107 win over the Wizards on Tuesday. Stephen Curry shot 11-for-18 and led in scoring with 32 points.
The game should be a battle of strength against strength, as the high-octane offense of Toronto (third in the NBA with an offensive efficiency of 107.8) takes on the top-notch defense of Golden State (first in the league with a defensive efficiency of 98.1).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Warriors won the first game 126-105. Curry played a huge role in the victory by recording a double-double with 32 points and 12 assists.
Oddsmakers have deemed this game an even matchup and the Over/Under (O/U) is presently unavailable. The Raptors look to build on their records of 37-20 Straight Up (SU) and 27-29-1 Against The Spread (ATS). They have a record of 12-10 SU and 9-12-1 ATS versus the Western Conference. The Raptors come into the game with the fifth-ranked scoring offense in the league, averaging 104.7 points per game. Toronto should have an edge at the free throw line. They average 19 made free throws per game, which is third-best in the NBA.
On the other side, Golden State has a SU record of 44-10 and an ATS record of 33-20-1. Golden State has a record of 17-3 SU and 10-9-1 ATS against the East. The Warriors are the number one overall scoring offense, averaging 110.4 points per game so far. Defenses have a tough time accounting for every player when up against the Warriors, who average a league-leading 27.1 assists per game. Golden State’s defense has set the standard for league, with opponents shooting a league-low .425 from the field. When it comes to defending the rim, the Warriors are one of the best in the league with an average of 6.0 blocks per game. Golden State makes opponents pay for turning the ball over, ranking fifth in points off turnovers with an average of 19.9 per game.
Golden State beat Toronto in their most recent meeting this season, moving its SU record against the Raptors to 8-2 in their last 10 head-to-head meetings. The Warriors also hold the advantage ATS with a record of 8-2. Golden State topped the Raptors in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) four times over the last 10. Toronto has never had the edge in all categories.
Predictions: SU Winner – GS, ATS Winner – GS
Notes
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto’s last 6 games.
Toronto is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games.
Toronto is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
Toronto is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto’s last 5 games at home.
Toronto is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing Golden State.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto’s last 5 games when playing Golden State.
Toronto is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Golden State.
Golden State ranks first in points allowed per road game (100.8 PPG), while Toronto ranks eighth in points per home game with 103.2.
The Raptors have a 21-5 record when they allow fewer than 100 points. The Warriors, however, have performed well when they don’t hit triple digits, with a record of 7-4 in such contests.
Toronto is 16-15 when allowing 100 or more points this season. The Warriors have an outstanding 37-6 record when they hit the century mark.
The Warriors have the best defense in the NBA, with a defensive rating of 98.1. The Raptors’s offense ranks a solid third, with an offensive rating of 107.8.
Golden State beats Toronto in both possessions per game and points per possession. The Warriors average 101.8 possessions and 1.085 points per possession, while the Raptors average 97.1 possessions with 1.078 points per possession.
The Toronto Raptors have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking ninth in the league with an EFF% of 50.6%. The Golden State Warriors have split their games 6-6 when opponents record a similar or higher EFF%.
The Toronto Raptors average 25.3 three point attempts per game and are 20-14 when attempting at least 25 in a game. The Golden State Warriors average 27.1 attempts and have a tremendous record (32-7) when attempting 25 or more.
The Toronto Raptors average 4.5 blocks per game for a rank of 18th. The Golden State Warriors rank higher (fourth), earning 6.0 blocks each contest.
Toronto ranks in the top half of the NBA in offensive rebounding at 13th, while Golden State ranks near the top of the league (third) in defensive rebounding.
The Golden State Warriors rank fourth in steals, with an average of 9.4 per game. When the Toronto Raptors allow at least 9 steals, they have a winning 7-4 record.
