Sitting pretty at the top of the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors aim for their seventh win in a row when they host the New Orleans Pelicans tonight. The Raptors own the best record in the NBA and have yet to lose at home this season, winning each game by an average of 13.4 points. They’ll be challenged by a Pellies team that brings the all-world talent of Anthony Davis to the court but has dropped five of six road games so far.
The Raptors opened as 7.5-point favorites (since moved to 9.5) with a total of 232.
- The Pelicans are 0-6 SU and 2-4 ATS in the last six games vs the Raptors.
- The Raptors rank second in field-goal percentage (49.3 percent).
- The OVER has hit in 6 of the Raptors’ 7 home games this season.
Pelicans vs Raptors Game Center
Pelicans Have Not Fared Well In This Matchup
With Anthony Davis on the floor, New Orleans can beat almost anyone in the NBA but it’s the supporting cast that needs to prop him up on nights when he doesn’t have it going. Four other players average double figures on the Pelicans roster but losing backup point guard Elfrid Payton has stifled the second unit as Payton averages 11.6 points and 6.4 assists. He has been off the floor for the last seven games due to an ankle injury. He is also questionable tonight as of this writing along with sweet-shooting wing Nikola Mirotic.
Those two players could be crucial to the Pelicans’ chances as New Orleans has lost six straight games to the Raptors (2-4 against the spread) by an average of 10.8 points per game although it’s worth mentioning that only two of those losses were by double digits. Other factors that could be troublesome for Pellies backers is how New Orleans has fared on the road at 1-5 SU and 2-4 ATS this season and its three-point numbers drop from 38.4 percent (home) to 34.2 percent (road) while it averages over four more turnovers away from the Bayou. With Davis and the talent on the roster, the Pelicans should keep it close and at -9.5, it could be a decent play.
Raptors Taking and Making Good Shots
Coming off a decisive win over the Knicks on Saturday, the Raptors should be feeling confident coming into this tilt. The Raps got a career-high 23 points from Pascal Siakam and were in such control that they rested their starters for the entire fourth quarter. That rest along with taking quality shots has put Toronto in an enviable position of being at the top of the Eastern Conference and undefeated at home this season.
The Raptors’ sweet shooting has placed them second in the NBA in field-goal percentage (49.3) with six players averaging double digits in scoring and only two players averaging more than 30 minutes of playing time (Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard). This has naturally translated to the Raptors averaging 117.9 points per game, which is six points more than their average from last season (111.7).
Those stats along with the eye test show that this isn’t the same old Raptors squad that is decent against the middling teams in the league but falls short against the top dogs. At -9.5, you can’t be faulted for grabbing the Raptors to cover the spread considering they’ve won all of their home games by 13.4 points per game.
OVER ALERT For Raptors Home Games
The total opened at 229.5 (since moved to 232) and when the Raptors play at home, OVERs are converting with ease. The OVER has hit in six of the Raptors’ seven home games this season with an average combined score of 236.7. The Raps and Pelicans both rank in the top five in points per game while the Pellies allow 117 points, which ranks 27th in the NBA.
My Pick Is…
Take the Raptors -9.5 point spread and the OVER 232 on separate bets. Considering the way that the Raps have scored at home and how poor the Pelicans’ defense has been this season, both of these bets look like they’ll come through at those lines.
