It figures to be a high-scoring affair as the Oklahoma City Thunder (51-22) visit Toronto to take on the Raptors (49-23). Action gets underway at 7:30 pm ET on Monday, Mar. 28 and will air on FxK and SNT.
The Raptors dismantled the Pelicans 115-91 on Saturday. DeMar DeRozan was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting. The Thunder, meanwhile, are coming off a 111-92 win against the Spurs on Saturday. Russell Westbrook had a solid game for Oklahoma City, accounting for 29 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.
This matchup figures to be a high-scoring affair as the Raptors rank fifth in the NBA in offensive efficiency (108.2), while the Thunder are second (110.4).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Raptors won the first game 103-98. Kevin Durant was a top player in the game with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, three blocks, and two three-pointers.
The Raptors have gone 49-23 Straight Up (SU) and 38-33-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Over their last 10 games, they have had success covering the spread (7-3). The Raptors have seen an uptick in scoring as of late, averaging 112.0 points during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 102.9 points per game. The Raptors are one of the best in the NBA in terms of free throws made, making a stellar 21.0 per game. Toronto is very careful and attentive with the ball, averaging the second-fewest turnovers per game at only 12.2.
Across the court, the Thunder have a record of 31-39-3 ATS and 51-22 SU. When traveling to play against teams in the Eastern Conference, Oklahoma City has a record of SU, but only 12-21-1 ATS. The Thunder are a force on the boards, grabbing a league-best 48.4 rebounds per game. Switching gears to Oklahoma City’s defense, blocking shots is an area where it has excelled. The Thunder average 6.1 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the league.
Toronto won the last meeting this season between these two teams, taking the head-to-head record to an even 5-5 SU over the past 10 meetings. The Raptors lead the matchup ATS with a record of 7-3.
Predictions: SU Winner – OKC
Notes
Toronto has allowed an average of 98.2 points per game this season. Oklahoma City averages 110.2 points per game, ranking the team second in scoring.
On average, Toronto gives up 98.1 points per home game. Oklahoma City averages 111.4 points per away game, ranking the team second in scoring.
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Toronto Raptors are a stellar 38-4. In games where they fail to hit triple digits, the Oklahoma City Thunder have an underachieving record of 3-11.
When allowing 100 or more points in a game, the Raptors are just 11-19 this season. Oklahoma City is an outstanding 48-11 when it reaches the century mark.
The Raptors have the fifth-best offensive rating in the NBA (108.2). The Thunder are also in the top half of the league based on their defensive rating of 103.3 (ranked 12th).
With 95.1 possessions and 1.082 points per possession, the Toronto Raptors perform worse on both metrics than the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oklahoma City averages 99.8 possessions and 1.104 points per possession.
Oklahoma City is the third-ranked team in the NBA in average effective field goal percentage at 52.5%. Toronto is 12-15 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
On average, Toronto attempts 23.0 three pointers and Oklahoma City attempts 23.0 per game. Both teams have winning records when they have 25 or more three point attempts. The Raptors sit at 19-11 and the Thunder are 17-8.
The Toronto Raptors, with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.52, rank 21st in the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a lower A/TO (1.49), ranking 24th.
The Thunder earn a league-high 48.4 rebounds per game, while the Raptors rank 17th with 43.4 per game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the top offensive rebounding team in the league, while the Toronto Raptors rank 20th in defensive rebounding.
The Raptors’ opponents have had an average turnover percentage of 13.7% this season. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a solid 34-15 record when their TOV% is 13.7% or higher.
