The 1-3 SU Raptors enter Saturday’s tilt with the 3-2 SU Pelicans in New Orleans as the faves. As it stands, bookmakers have rolled out a tight NBA betting line with the Toronto Raptors delicately nestled on the board as the -1.5 road chalk, up a half a point after opening at -1.
It’s an interesting take on this matchup. Given the contrasting fortunes of these teams, underscored by the fact that the Raptors have only just come off their first win of the season, one could argue Toronto’s odds are slightly overrated. This begs the question of whether NBA bettors should shade or fade the Raptors in the betting?
Toronto Raptors vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Saturday, January 2, 2021 – 7:30 PM ET at Smoothie King Center
Toronto Finally Get In the Win Column
The Toronto Raptors snapped a three-game losing skid on Thursday, closing out 2020 with their first win on the young season at the expense of the New York Knicks. The Raptors routed the Knicks 100-83, coming through comfortably for their backers as the -8.5 closing faves. The combined score fell under the closing 216-point total at top sportsbooks.
Although the Raptors finally cracked the win column on New Year’s eve, there’s still a lot of concern surrounding Toronto’s campaign thus far. Relocating to Florida for the foreseeable – due to the ongoing Covid-19 health concerns, Canada is not allowing the Raptors to play their home games in Toronto – might have a hand in the disappointing start. But talk of tension in the locker room raises a whole other level of distraction that may be a red flag for a team that was supposed to be a title-contending team.
Then, where does one begin unpacking the surprise game-day announcement that Pascal Siakam was being benched for disciplinary reasons against the Knicks? His status for Saturday’s clash with the Pelicans remains uncertain (at the time of writing).
Evidently, this is a team in flux, with looming questions about players’ roles and rotations. Coach Nick Nurse seemed to be experimenting on the fly with his starters and bench as if probing and searching for the right formula of players throughout the game.
The dilemma on the starting line up is a big one, with various key spots lacking a standout, consistent performer that meets Nurse’s expectations. Until Nurse finds the right mix that works for him, it looks like there will be more ebb and flow from the sidelines muddying the starting line-up. That might make the betting tricky.
This lack of consistency in the line-up is most keenly relevant in the stats. The Raptors' offense rank bottom of the league (28th) with an average of 101.5 points per game. The defense, however, ranks fifth with 103.8 points per game. By the NBA betting trends, Toronto is 1-3-0 SU and ATS with a 2.2 losing margin on average. While they lost their season opener to the Pelicans by 14 points, the next couple of defeats were decided by 5 and 7 points.
Pelicans Eye Second Win Over The Raptors
The Pelicans stunned the Raptors on opening day, beating them 113-99 on the road to record one of the season’s first big upsets. The Pelicans pulled off the win as the closing +3.5 road underdogs, while the combined score came UNDER the closing 229-point total.
Since recording the upset in NBA betting markets, the Pelicans have oscillated between a win and a loss, struggling to find consistency. They went on to lose to Miami 111-98, then edging the San Antonio Spurs 98-95, then losing to the Phoenix Suns 111-86, before clinching a 113-80 win over Oklahoma City Thunder on New Year’s eve.
The two losses did come to the Eastern Conference champions Miami and the hot San Antonio Spurs. So some allowances can be made for those at this early juncture. Hammering the Thunder, though, was quite the performance, with the Pelicans taking control of the game from the tail-end of the first quarter and onwards.
The Pelicans offense is ranked 27th in the league with 101.6 points per game, while the defense is ranked second overall with 99.2 points per game allowed. On the season, the Pelicans are 3-2-0 SU and 2-3-0 ATS, while the UNDER has cashed in all five games.
NBA Predictions and Picks:
It’s a tight market that’s on offer for the Raptors and Pelicans as they get set to collide on Saturday night, but a difficult one to reconcile in the betting nonetheless with the Raptors as the favored team.
Toronto may have been one of the teams to spot in preseason NBA futures betting markets, but so far they’re not playing like the title-contending team they were expected to be. By contrast, the Pelicans have been punching above their weight-class, playing much better basketball thus far.
So, based on recent form and standings, shading the Pelicans as the nominal underdogs seem to be the more attractive option for NBA Picks.
NBA Pick: Pelicans +1.5 (-108) with Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
The post Raptors vs. Pelicans NBA Picks and Predictions appeared first on Picks.
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