It was a forgettable debut for Kemba Walker, as Boston dropped a low-scoring season opener. With the Raptors coming to town, Walker and the Celtics will need to play a faster-paced game, making the lower total an intriguing play for bettors.
- Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics (Matchup Report)
- Date/Time: October 25, 7 p.m. ET
- TV Coverage: TSN4, NBC Sports Boston
- Sportsbook Odds: Boston -2.5 | O/U 217 (Line History)
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Celtics opened as small favorites, presumably because they’re at home and Toronto struggled to beat the Zion-less Pelicans. With Boston’s offense struggling in the opener, the total also opened at just 217 points.
Toronto News & Notes
The Raptors opened their season, first with some serious bling, and then with a dazzling offensive effort en route to a 130-122 overtime win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
While they don’t have Kawhi Leonard on the roster anymore, the player deemed by management to be the new star of the team, forward Pascal Siakam, delivered on Sportsbook night. Fresh off signing a four-year max extension, Siakam scored 34 points, while adding 18 rebounds and five assists.
He wasn’t the only Raptor to have a big night, as playoff hero — and now Sportsbook-night starter — Fred VanVleet also added 34 points (and seven assists) on 12-for-18 shooting.
Toronto will be looking for Siakam and VanVleet, both 25 years old, to lead the club over the next few years. If Tuesday night was any indication, the Raptors look to be in good hands.
Boston News & Notes
After a disappointing 2018-19 season, the Celtics had some big changes in the offseason. Gone was malcontent guard Kyrie Irving, and he was replaced by another high-scoring guard in Kemba Walker. Also leaving was veteran center Al Horford, who was replaced by mercurial big man Enes Kanter.
It was not the debut the new Celtics imagined, however, as they totaled 24 points and were a combined -28 in a 107-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston’s entire team struggled offensively, shooting just 26.9 percent from three-point land and only 58.8 percent on their free throws.
Walker, who shot just 4-for-18 from the field Wednesday, will be expected to deliver closer to the 25.6 points per game he averaged in Charlotte last season — his fourth straight season averaging more than 20 points. He’ll look to get on track against a Raptors team that allowed 72 points to Pelicans backcourt players on Tuesday.
Betting Pick: OVER 213
Boston has too much talent to keep scoring in the 90s, while we’ve already seen that the Raptors can put up big numbers. This low total seems ripe for picking the OVER.
- Toronto is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games vs Boston.
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Toronto’s last 9 games played in October.
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston’s last 6 games vs Toronto.
