The Toronto Raptors are 11-2 in their 13 games since the league’s restart. Both of those losses came at the hands of the Boston Celtics. The defending champions try to solve their Celtic problem on Tuesday for Game 2 of their second round playoff series.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Raptors are no longer favourites to win the second round playoff series. Sports Interaction opened with the Dinos as -175 chalk to move onto the next round, but a Game 1 setback now has Boston in the driver’s seat. The Celtics are priced at -167 (risk $167 to win $100) while the Raptors are underdogs at +120 ($100 bet earns $120). 

The C’s improved to 4-1 straight up and against the spread in five games against the reigning champions this season. Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last five games and the Under is 6-1 in the club’s last seven contests.

Brad Stevens has to be happy with his side’s defensive effort. The Shamrocks are allowing a league-low 99.2 points in the playoffs. Entering Monday night’s action on the hardwood, the Celtics and Miami Heat are the only two teams still unbeaten in the postseason.

There are still plenty of reasons to expect a bounceback effort from Toronto on Tuesday. The Raptors are 24-9-1 ATS in their last 34 games coming off an ATS setback. They’re also 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games overall. Then again, they are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 second round playoff games.

The Under is 16-5-1 in the Dinos’ last 22 games coming off a loss of 10 or more points, and 10-4 in their last 14 games overall.

Boston Celtics

There are certain players on Boston’s roster you expect to punish the Raptors on the scoreboard. Marcus Smart is not one of those guys. 

Smart – known more for his stout perimeter defence than his shot-making ability – scored 21 points on just 10 shot attempts and led both teams in plus/minus at +27 in Game 1. He canned five of his nine attempts from deep. 

The Raptors can live with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker putting up big offensive numbers. Their goose is cooked though if they have to worry about guarding Smart too.

Toronto Raptors

Pascal Siakam needs a big performance in Game 2. The All-Star forward has been mostly unspectacular during the restart. He’s struggling to rediscover his pre-Christmas form when he was averaging 25.1 points, 8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

He picked up three fouls in the first quarter of Game 1, and was never able to get into a rhythm after that. He needs to make Tatum, and Brown work at the defensive end of the floor to make this series more evenly matched.

Who Will Win Celtics vs. Raptors?

CELTICS

Away

105

RAPTORS

Home

110

Score
Predictions

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