76ers vs. Raptors Point Spread: NBA Odds, Prediction
The Raptors are solid Sports Interaction favourites. Quite possible this is a playoff preview, although the 76ers aren’t playing up to expectations yet. They are unbeaten at home but winless on the road.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Raptors have owned this series of late, winning it each of the past five seasons and losing just twice overall. Last year, Toronto won it 3-1 and was 2-0 at home (both blowouts) – the Raptors haven’t lost at home to Philadelphia since early in the 2012-13 campaign.
Joel Embiid played in two of the four last year and averaged 24.0 points and 9.5 rebounds. Ben Simmons put up 15.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists. The Aussie is a triple-double waiting to happen every night. Dario Saric chipped in 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Departed DeMar DeRozan led Toronto in averaging 32.0 points per game against Philadelphia. Kyle Lowry was at 16.3 points and 4.5 assists, while Serge Ibaka and Delon Wright each averaged 15.0 points.
Toronto is 10-3 against the spread in the past 13 meetings. The total has gone over in eight of the previous 10.
Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia was a 113-92 home winner over Atlanta on Monday. Simmons came one assist shy of a triple-double, putting up 21 points and 12 rebounds. Markelle Fultz had a career-high 16 points. Embiid was rather quiet with 10 points and six rebounds as he was constantly double-teamed. Embiid, perhaps the best centre in the league, used to never play both ends of a back-to-back with his history of foot problems that severely limited the first few years of his NBA career. However, starting later last season the team started allowing him to play both, and he did in Philly’s one instance earlier this season. Philadelphia has failed to cover its past six on the road.
Toronto Raptors
Well, we no longer believe anything that new Raptors coach Nick Nurse says publicly. He had said that Leonard would play both ends of the back-to-back, but Leonard sat out Monday and the Raptors lost 124-109 in Milwaukee, leaving the Bucks as the NBA’s lone unbeaten. Pascal Siakam blew up in the loss with a career-high 22 points along with eight rebounds. Wright did return from injury, but Fred VanVleet didn’t.
That the Bucks didn’t have star Giannis Antetokounmpo (concussion protocol) maybe played a role in whomever decided Leonard would sit. In addition, OG Anunoby was expected to return from a personal matter Monday but didn’t play. Leonard absolutely should play Tuesday and likely Anunoby as well.
