After dropping three straight road games, the Boston Celtics return to TD Garden licking their wounds but won’t have much time to dwell on their losing habits with the Toronto Raptors in town. The Raptors have won five straight games coming into this tilt but are 3-3 SU vs the Celtics since the start of last season. Boston will look to get back on the winning track and has won its last six games in Beantown.
The Celtics opened as 1-point favorites with the total at 223.
- The Celtics are 15-5 SU and 14-6 ATS in 20 home games this season.
- The Raptors are 1-5 SU in their last six games in Boston.
- The OVER has hit in 6 of the Raptors’ last 7 games.
Raptors vs Celtics Game Center
Celtics are Jekyll and Hyde when it comes to Home/Road Splits
There are a few NBA teams that have been the subject of my disdain after trusting them to be successful on the road and the Boston Celtics fit that description. They’ve lost three straight road games and are 10-13 SU in 23 games away from Beantown. But when you look to see how they fare at home, it’s like they’re a completely different team. The C’s are 15-5 SU in 20 games (14-6 ATS) at TD Garden and have won five straight on their home floor. To me, that’s maddening as a bettor because you think that the poor play would reflect on any court but alas, that’s the NBA.
The Celtics have the second-best point differential at home (+8.2) in the league behind the Milwaukee Bucks, and guards Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart are expected back after sitting out the last game with different ailments. Irving will need to be at top form to stop the Raptors tonight and in two games vs the divisional rival this season, he’s averaging 32 points. When the Raps came to Boston back in mid-November, Irving beasted on them, scoring 43 points, and Boston outlasted Toronto 123-116.
Due to the Celtics clearly being a better home team and the spread essentially being a pick’em, I’m siding with the Celtics tonight to win this game outright.
Raptors Have Not Fared Well at TD Garden Recently
Winners of five straight and eight of their last 10 overall, the Raptors will be looking to put the hammer down on a rival that seems to be in disarray. Toronto may have won 14 of the last 22 games in this matchup but it has dropped five of the last six games in Boston.
The Raps have been the class of the Eastern Conference this season at 33-12 SU in 45 games for the best record in the NBA. They’re also one of six NBA teams to have a winning record on the road this year at 15-8 SU in 23 games. Toronto ranks in the top 10 in both points scored and points allowed per game when hooping away from The Six. So, why don’t I fully trust the Raptors to get it done tonight? Well, it has to do with the depth.
The Raptors will be without OG Anunoby in this tilt and Fred VanVleet is questionable with a thigh injury. VanVleet worries me a little more than OG because if he can’t go, the Raps will need to rely heavily on Delon Wright and recently signed Patrick McCaw to share the backcourt with Kyle Lowry, which is a huge dropoff.
There’s only a handful of teams that I don’t fully trust to roll over to the Raptors at home and the Celtics are near the top of the list.
Is Another OVER in Store?
The total opened at 223 and trends are pointing to another OVER for totals bettors. The OVER has hit in three of the last four games in this matchup with an average combined score of 223.6 points per game. The Raptors have also been a boon for OVER bettors lately as the OVER has hit in six of their last seven games with an average combined score of 235 points per game.
My Pick Is…
To take the Celtics moneyline. It’s clear based on trends, stats and the eye test that the Celtics are a wayyyyyy better team at home than on the road. While I think the Raptors will be a stiff test, I expect Boston to turn it around and get the W.
