It’s the first road game of the new season for the Toronto Raptors as they visit Boston on Friday night in the Celtics’ home opener.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

Boston was the favourite to emerge from the Eastern Conference entering last season but never seemed to all get on the same page. The C’s finished fourth in the East at 49-33 and lost in five games to Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference semifinals. In hindsight, everyone still in Beantown tends to blame All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving for all the issues. Great player but perhaps not the best guy in the locker room. He’s now in Brooklyn.

The Raptors and Celtics have split the season series each of the past two years and Toronto didn’t win in Boston either year. The Celtics were 28-13 at TD Garden last regular season.

Former Raptor Kawhi Leonard played in all four last year and averaged 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. Serge Ibaka was at 19.5 points and 5.5 rebounds, Pascal Siakam 12.8 points and 6.5 rebounds, and Kyle Lowry 11.5 points and 7.8 assists.

Irving put up 24.5 points and 10.0 assists per game in the series. Jayson Tatum 16.0 points and 8.3 rebounds, and Al Horford 14.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Horford also left this summer in free agency, heading for Philadelphia.

The favourite has covered five straight in this series.

Toronto Raptors

After receiving the largest NBA championship rings in league history on Tuesday night, the Raptors went out and beat the Zion Williamson-less New Orleans Pelicans 130-122 in overtime – a rather unlikely cover of the 7-point spread. Lowry sent it to overtime on two made free throws with 29.2 seconds left in regulation. Each side missed at least one shot to win after that. Fred VanVleet had a career-high 34 points despite tweaking his ankle and Siakam – in his first game since getting a huge new extension – dominated with 34 points, 18 rebounds and five assists despite fouling out. Lowry had 22 points in Toronto’s seventh straight opening night win. The Raptors were without forwards Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (left groin) and Patrick McCaw (left knee) and new addition Stanley Johnson didn’t play a second.

Boston Celtics

While the Celtics didn’t really replace Horford this off-season, they did a fine job replacing Irving with All-NBA point guard Kemba Walker, formerly of Charlotte. In his Celtics debut Wednesday in Philadelphia, though, Walker really struggled in a 107-93 loss. He was an ugly 4-for-18 from the field for 12 points and a minus-16 plus/minus rating. Jayson Tatum hit only 8-for-22 and Boston shot 36.7 per cent as a team. The bench did next to nothing. To be fair, the Sixers should be one of the NBA’s top defensive teams this season. One bright spot was Enes Kanter scoring 12 points with six rebounds in 25 minutes as the starting centre. He also was an off-season addition. As noted, this is Boston’s home opener and it has covered only five of its previous 21 there.

Who Will Win Raptors vs. Celtics?

Injuries

Toronto

Serge Ibaka (PF)

Prob Wed Ankle - 07 / 09 / 20

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (SF)

Prob Sun Knee - 21 / 08 / 20

Fred VanVleet (PG)

Out Fri Rest - 14 / 08 / 20

OG Anunoby (SF)

Prob Mon Knee - 12 / 08 / 20

Serge Ibaka (PF)

Prob Mon Knee - 10 / 08 / 20

Fred VanVleet (PG)

Prob Wed Knee - 10 / 08 / 20

Paul Watson (SG)

Doub Sun Back - 09 / 08 / 20

Serge Ibaka (PF)

Prob Sun Eye - 08 / 08 / 20

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (SF)

day-to-day Ankle - 01 / 08 / 20

Oshae Brissett (PF)

Out indefinitely Knee - 31 / 07 / 20

Boston

Romeo Langford (SG)

out for season Wrist - 17 / 09 / 20

Jaylen Brown (SG)

Prob Tues Groin - 12 / 09 / 20

Vincent Poirier (C)

Prob Tues Personal - 03 / 09 / 20

Robert Williams III (C)

Prob Thurs Tailbone - 03 / 09 / 20

Tremont Waters (PG)

Prob Mon Knee - 26 / 08 / 20

Javonte Green (SG)

Prob Sun Knee - 20 / 08 / 20

Jaylen Brown (SG)

Prob Wed Thigh - 18 / 08 / 20

Gordon Hayward (SF)

Ques Sat Ankle - 17 / 08 / 20

Vincent Poirier (C)

Prob Wed Groin - 16 / 08 / 20

Romeo Langford (SG)

Prob Mon Wrist - 13 / 08 / 20

Injuries

Toronto

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Serge Ibaka (PF)	Prob Wed	Ankle - 07 / 09 / 20	2-1	1-2	+ -
Ibaka is dealing with a left ankle sprain, but he is expected to play against the Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference second round.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (SF)	Prob Sun	Knee - 21 / 08 / 20	4-5	2-7	+ -
Hollis-Jefferson is bothered by swelling in his left knee, but he is likely to be active for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Nets.
Fred VanVleet (PG)	Out Fri	Rest - 14 / 08 / 20	6-6	5-7	+ -
VanVleet will receive a day of rest and will not be available against the Nuggets on Friday.
OG Anunoby (SF)	Prob Mon	Knee - 12 / 08 / 20	7-6	5-8	+ -
Anunoby is dealing with with soreness in his right knee, but he is likely to be active for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Nets.
Serge Ibaka (PF)	Prob Mon	Knee - 10 / 08 / 20	8-6	5-9	+ -
Ibaka is bothered by a right knee contusion, but he is expected to play against the Nets in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Fred VanVleet (PG)	Prob Wed	Knee - 10 / 08 / 20	8-6	5-9	+ -
VanVleet missed the last game due to a hyperextended right knee, but he is likely to be available for Wednesday's contest against the 76ers.
Paul Watson (SG)	Doub Sun	Back - 09 / 08 / 20	8-7	5-10	+ -
Watson is dealing with soreness in his lower back, and he is not expected to be in the lineup Sunday against the Grizzlies.
Serge Ibaka (PF)	Prob Sun	Eye - 08 / 08 / 20	9-7	5-11	+ -
Ibaka was forced from the previous game due to an eye laceration, but he is likely to be active Sunday versus the Grizzlies.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (SF)	day-to-day	Ankle - 01 / 08 / 20	11-7	5-13	+ -
Hollis-Jefferson exited Saturday's game with an ankle injury, and his return is in question.
Oshae Brissett (PF)	Out indefinitely	Knee - 31 / 07 / 20	11-7	5-13	+ -
Brissett is expected to be sideline for an extended period due to right knee surgery in order to remove loose bodies.

Boston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Romeo Langford (SG)	out for season	Wrist - 17 / 09 / 20	2-3	4-1	+ -
Langford will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery to fix the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist.
Jaylen Brown (SG)	Prob Tues	Groin - 12 / 09 / 20	3-4	5-2	+ -
Brown is hampered by a groin injury, but he is expected to be active for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final versus the Heat.
Vincent Poirier (C)	Prob Tues	Personal - 03 / 09 / 20	6-5	5-6	+ -
Poirier is away from the team for the birth of his child. He is likely to return against the Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference second round.
Robert Williams III (C)	Prob Thurs	Tailbone - 03 / 09 / 20	6-5	5-6	+ -
Williams III is anticipated to take on the Raptors in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference second round despite injuring his tailbone.
Tremont Waters (PG)	Prob Mon	Knee - 26 / 08 / 20	7-6	5-8	+ -
Waters has a left knee sprain, but he is likely to play in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference second round versus the Raptors.
Javonte Green (SG)	Prob Sun	Knee - 20 / 08 / 20	9-6	6-9	+ -
Green is recuperating from surgery to fix a small tear to the meniscus in his right knee, but he is likely to be ready for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals versus the Heat.
Jaylen Brown (SG)	Prob Wed	Thigh - 18 / 08 / 20	10-6	6-10	+ -
Brown is expected to suit up against the 76ers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round despite a right thigh contusion.
Gordon Hayward (SF)	Ques Sat	Ankle - 17 / 08 / 20	10-7	6-11	+ -
Hayward is sidelined with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain, and it is unclear if he will return to action against the Heat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Vincent Poirier (C)	Prob Wed	Groin - 16 / 08 / 20	10-7	6-11	+ -
Porier is battling a left groin strain, but he is likely to play in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the 76ers.
Romeo Langford (SG)	Prob Mon	Wrist - 13 / 08 / 20	11-7	6-12	+ -
Langford is dealing with a sprained right wrist, but it is anticipated that he will take the court in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the 76ers.