Scoreboard	1	2	3	4	Odds
Boston Celtics 48-24	25	37	25	24	+213
Toronto Raptors 53-19	11	24	28	26	0

Scoreboard

Odds

Boston Celtics 48-24

+213

Toronto Raptors 53-19

NBA
Charlie Grant
September 7, 2020

Celtics vs. Raptors Game 5 Prediction: NBA Playoff Odds, Point Spread

The Toronto Raptors have evened up their second round playoff series against the Boston Celtics after falling behind 2-0. Momentum is on their side – but the betting public isn’t. The Raptors opened as small favourites for Game 5, but the line has moved to a Pick ’em for Monday’s game.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Celtics are point spread favourites for the first time in this series. The spreads have been small throughout the series’ first four games (no larger than two points in any one game), but the Dinos were chalk in each contest.

It seems the majority of bettors don’t expect the Raptors to win for a third consecutive time against the C’s. Boston hung around for much of Game 4 despite an awful shooting performance from 3-point land. Toronto hung on to win thanks to a clutch performance from Kyle Lowry.

The Raptors are now -147 (risk $147 to win $100) favourites to win the series at Sports Interaction while the Celtics are paying +105 to advance. Converting the moneyline odds over to implied probability, we can deduce the Raptors have a 59.5 percent chance of winning the series according to SIA.

Game 4 was Toronto’s first against the spread (ATS) win in the series. The Dinos are now 13-3 straight up and 10-6 against the number since the restart. The Celtics are 6-2 SU and ATS in these playoffs and 11-5 SU and 9-6-1 ATS overall in their bubble games.

Boston Celtics

Sometimes it’s a make or miss league. The Celtics did a lot of the latter in Game 4. Boston shot a series low 20 percent from 3-point range on Saturday. Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum shot a combined 5-for-29 (17.2 percent) from distance in Game 4.

Brown was the main offender finishing with just two makes from 11 attempts. He also missed his first eight tries from beyond the arc. Boston will need to come back with an adjustment in Game 5 if the club wants to regain control of the series.

Toronto Raptors

It’s getting harder and harder to justify all the minutes head coach Nick Nurse is giving veteran big man Marc Gasol. The former defensive player of the year isn’t nearly the threat on either end of the court as backup big Serge Ibaka.