Kings vs. Raptors Point Spread: NBA Odds, Prediction
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Jeremy Perry
The Sacramento Kings have exceeded expectations this season and are in the thick of things in the Western Conference playoff chase. On Tuesday, they’ll get a stern test from a top team in the Eastern Conference. Not only are the tied for the top spot, they have also won seven of their last eight games.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Kings are 24-22 overall, 27-19 against the spread (ATS). They have won four of six overall but dropped two of their last three. They are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 games versus the Eastern Conference. They haven’t been a good bet against winning teams, though, as they are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games versus an opponent with an overall winning record.
The Raptors are 35-13 overall, 21-27 against the spread. They are 20-4 at home straight up but 11-13 ATS. While the Kings played last night, the Raptors are rested but that might not help. Toronto is 2-5 ATS in its last seven games playing on two days of rest.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings have mostly been a .500 team this season, which is a positive step for them, but Monday was a big setback. They were smoked 123-94 at Brooklyn. It was odd since Sacramento won in Detroit on Saturday night when Buddy Hield tossed in a long jumper at the buzzer. He’s played well, scoring 35 in that win, and is a key reason why they’ve been respectable.
The challenge for the Kings in this spot is that their defense simply isn’t great to begin with but gets worse on the road. They are giving up 116.9 points per game in away contests and that’s the fifth-worst mark in the league. That figures to be a big problem against a Raptors team that is eighth in points per game at home.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors have been great all season but they are on a particularly good roll right now. They had a mini slump in the middle of December where they lost four of seven, but they have won nine of their last 11 games. They’ve been incredible at home, winning nine straight times. In fact, they only have two bad home losses, which were to the New Orleans Pelicans (22-25) and the Detroit Pistons (20-26). Their only other home losses were to the Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons.
The Kings are in a bit of a tight spot here as they are not only in a back-to-back situation, they are also playing their third road game in four days. As long as all of the key Raptors are playing (Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry), they should win comfortably in this game. Their home-court advantage is significant.
