Boston Looks To Continue Its Recent Success vs Toronto

Last season, the Boston Celtics edged out the Toronto Raptors with a 4-3 SU and 5-2 ATS record in the second round of the NBA playoffs. The Celtics will try to pick up another win over the Raptors on Monday in their first regular-season meeting of the 2020-21 campaign.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

Since Sportsbook with the Raptors as 2.5-point favorites, the line now sits at Toronto -3 with early action coming in on the Raps. The total has seen slight movement since Sportsbook at 214.5 points, moving up slightly to 215 points. The UNDER is 1-7-1 in the last nine games between Boston and Toronto.

Boston News & Notes

With Kemba Walker sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury, the Celtics have been getting the lion’s share of their offense from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum through the first seven games of the season. Brown is averaging 28 points per game while Tatum isn’t far behind with 24.3 points per game. Boston is 4-3 SU and 3-4 ATS to date with wins in three of its last four games coming into Monday.

Tristan Thompson has been the best of Boston’s offseason acquisitions, averaging 9.7 points and nine rebounds per game through his first six games with the Celtics. Jeff Teague, who is questionable on Monday with an ankle injury suffered in Boston’s last game, has averaged only 7.4 points per game off the bench. And highly touted rookie Aaron Nesmith hasn’t been able to crack the rotation with only two garbage-time appearances this season.

Toronto News & Notes

The Raptors lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 120-116 on Saturday, falling to a disappointing 1-4 SU and ATS on the season. Toronto’s defense was dominant in a 100-83 win over the New York Knicks on New Year’s Eve, but over the team’s four losses the defense has allowed an uncharacteristic 113 points per game. Turning their early struggles around will likely start with more consistent play in the defensive end.

Offensively, last season’s breakout star Fred VanVleet is leading the team in scoring this season with 19.2 points per game out of the gate. After losing Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol this offseason, the Raptors were expected to take a bit of a step backwards in the standings this season, but there is still enough talent here to produce better than what the team has so far.