It’s another “should-win” game for the Toronto Raptors on Thursday as they complete a road trip with a visit to the rebuilding Houston Rockets. Toronto is an 8-point favourite to win on the NBA odds, with a total of 224.0.

Raptors vs. Rockets NBA Betting Odds

No road trip is easy, but the schedule has worked out well this week for Toronto as it visited massively struggling Charlotte on Monday, rebuilding Oklahoma City on Wednesday and now rebuilding Houston on Thursday to wrap the trip up.

It’s the first meeting of the season between the teams with the Rockets visiting Toronto near the end of the season on April 8. Houston will be long-eliminated from playoff contention by then. The Raptors and Rockets split last season. Houston’s 117-99 home victory ended the team’s 20-game losing streak at the time. John Wall had a triple-double of 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Wall is still technically a member of the Rockets but hasn’t played this season as the team had been hoping to deal him by this afternoon’s Trade Deadline but that was never likely with Wall’s massive contract. He has no financial motivation to accept a buyout.

Houston could trade veteran guard Eric Gordon before today’s deadline, though. He doesn’t fit with the team’s long-term plans and would bring back a solid haul from a contender. Toronto likely will trade Goran Dragic today.

The Rockets lead the all-time series 29-21 and are 20-5 at home. Toronto is 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors now have the NBA’s longest winning streak at seven in a row following an easy 117-98 victory Wednesday in Oklahoma City – the team’s third straight win by double digits. Pascal Siakam has been one of the five best players in the Eastern Conference for a few weeks now and continued that vs. the Thunder with 27 points, 16 rebounds and five assists. Still, why is Nick Nurse playing Siakam 40 minutes in a blowout in the front end of a back-to-back? Fred VanVleet (36 minute) had 21 points, and OG Anunoby (37 minutes) 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Dinos should not lose tonight, but it could be the definition of a trap game ahead of a return home Saturday vs. reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The Raptors are 8-1 ATS in their past nine in the second of a B2B.

Houston Rockets

Houston has some promising young players in guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green (the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft; the Dinos’ Scottie Barnes has been much better), forward Jae’Sean Tate and centres Christian Wood and Alperen Sengun, but this is simply a terrible team right now, especially on defence. The Rockets allow a league-high 116.9 points and teams shoot nearly 48 per cent from the field against them. The team has lost seven of eight and dropped six of those by double digits. It comes off a 110-97 defeat in New Orleans on Tuesday. Porter had a season-high 27 points. Veteran guard Eric Gordon didn’t play because of a supposed injury but more likely the team held him out ahead of a trade. There are no Canadians on the roster. Houston is 1-4 ATS in its past five at home vs. teams with a winning road record.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Raptors vs. Rockets?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Raptors Team Leaders

TOR

Points	Pascal Siakam 22.81
Assists	Fred VanVleet 6.68
Rebounds	Pascal Siakam 8.53
FG%	D.J. Wilson 73.3
Steals	Gary Trent Jr. 1.74
Blocks	Chris Boucher 0.94

HOU

Points	Christian Wood 17.91
Assists	Kevin Porter Jr. 6.16
Rebounds	Christian Wood 10.09
FG%	Bruno Fernando 70.7
Steals	Kevin Porter Jr. 1.13
Blocks	Christian Wood 0.96

TOR

Points	Pascal Siakam 22.83
Assists	Fred VanVleet 6.25
Rebounds	Scottie Barnes 9
FG%	Dalano Banton 100
Steals	Fred VanVleet 1.75
Blocks	Chris Boucher 1.17

HOU

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Rockets Team Leaders

TOR

Points	Pascal Siakam 22.81
Assists	Fred VanVleet 6.68
Rebounds	Pascal Siakam 8.53
FG%	D.J. Wilson 73.3
Steals	Gary Trent Jr. 1.74
Blocks	Chris Boucher 0.94

HOU

Points	Christian Wood 17.91
Assists	Kevin Porter Jr. 6.16
Rebounds	Christian Wood 10.09
FG%	Bruno Fernando 70.7
Steals	Kevin Porter Jr. 1.13
Blocks	Christian Wood 0.96

TOR

Points	Pascal Siakam 22.83
Assists	Fred VanVleet 6.25
Rebounds	Scottie Barnes 9
FG%	Dalano Banton 100
Steals	Fred VanVleet 1.75
Blocks	Chris Boucher 1.17

HOU

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

Injuries

Toronto

Gary Trent Jr. (SG)

Prob Wed Illness - 17 / 04 / 22

Khem Birch (C)

Ques Mon Head - 16 / 04 / 22

Thaddeus Young (PF)

Prob Mon Thumb - 16 / 04 / 22

Pascal Siakam (PF)

Out Sun Rest - 10 / 04 / 22

Juwan Morgan (PF)

Out indefinitely Illness - 05 / 04 / 22

OG Anunoby (SF)

Prob Sun Quadricep - 03 / 04 / 22

Isaac Bonga (SG)

Ques Sun Toe - 03 / 04 / 22

Yuta Watanabe (SG)

Out Fri Quadricep - 31 / 03 / 22

Khem Birch (C)

Prob Wed Knee - 28 / 03 / 22

Gary Trent Jr. (SG)

Prob Mon Toe - 21 / 03 / 22

Houston

Christian Wood (PF)

Mid April Hamstring - 28 / 03 / 22

Dennis Schroder (PG)

Mid April Shoulder - 28 / 03 / 22

Eric Gordon (SG)

Mid April Groin - 27 / 03 / 22

Eric Gordon (SG)

Out Sat Rest - 26 / 03 / 22

Usman Garuba (PF)

Prob Fri Ankle - 25 / 03 / 22

Usman Garuba (PF)

Ques Wed Ankle - 17 / 03 / 22

Eric Gordon (SG)

Prob Mon Knee - 13 / 03 / 22

Dennis Schroder (PG)

Ques Wed Illness - 13 / 03 / 22

Chris Smith (SF)

out for season Knee - 10 / 03 / 22

Dennis Schroder (PG)

Prob Fri Ankle - 10 / 03 / 22

Injuries

Toronto

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Gary Trent Jr. (SG)	Prob Wed	Illness - 17 / 04 / 22	2-3	1-4	+ -
Trent Jr. is battling a non-COVID illness, but it is projected that he will take on the 76ers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Khem Birch (C)	Ques Mon	Head - 16 / 04 / 22	2-4	1-5	+ -
Birch is tending to a head injury, and it is unknown if he will battle the 76ers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Thaddeus Young (PF)	Prob Mon	Thumb - 16 / 04 / 22	2-4	1-5	+ -
Young is bothered by a hyperextended left thumb, but it is expected that he will be active for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round against the 76ers.
Pascal Siakam (PF)	Out Sun	Rest - 10 / 04 / 22	2-5	2-5	+ -
Siakam will not dress for Sunday's matchup versus the Knicks as he will be given a day of rest.
Juwan Morgan (PF)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 05 / 04 / 22	4-6	4-6	+ -
Morgan is going trough the league's health and safety protocols, and it is unclear when he will return to the court.
OG Anunoby (SF)	Prob Sun	Quadricep - 03 / 04 / 22	5-6	4-7	+ -
Anunoby has sat out the previous four games with a right quad contusion, but it is expected that he will participate in Sunday's clash versus the Knicks.
Isaac Bonga (SG)	Ques Sun	Toe - 03 / 04 / 22	5-6	4-7	+ -
Bonga has been held out of the last four contests with a sprained right big toe, and it is undecided if he will play against the Knicks on Sunday.
Yuta Watanabe (SG)	Out Fri	Quadricep - 31 / 03 / 22	6-6	4-8	+ -
Watanabe has sat out the last four games with a sore left quad, and he will not face the Rockets on Friday.
Khem Birch (C)	Prob Wed	Knee - 28 / 03 / 22	7-7	5-9	+ -
Birch sat out the last contest tending to a swollen right knee, but it is projected that he will battle the Timberwolves on Wednesday.
Gary Trent Jr. (SG)	Prob Mon	Toe - 21 / 03 / 22	9-9	7-11	+ -
Trent Jr. has sat out the last three contests with a left big toe hyperextension, but it is anticipated that he will be available to battle the Celtics on Monday.

Houston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Christian Wood (PF)	Mid April	Hamstring - 28 / 03 / 22	5-2	5-2	+ -
Wood is sidelined due to a tight left hamstring, and he will miss the remainder of the regular season.
Dennis Schroder (PG)	Mid April	Shoulder - 28 / 03 / 22	5-2	5-2	+ -
Schroder his out of the lineup due to a sore left shoulder, and he will not return for the remainder of the regular season.
Eric Gordon (SG)	Mid April	Groin - 27 / 03 / 22	6-2	5-3	+ -
Gordon is idle with a sore right groin, and he will not be active for the rest of the regular season.
Eric Gordon (SG)	Out Sat	Rest - 26 / 03 / 22	6-3	5-4	+ -
Gordon will not suit up for Saturday's matchup with the Trail Blazers as he will be given a day of rest.
Usman Garuba (PF)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 25 / 03 / 22	6-3	5-4	+ -
Garuba is dealing with an ankle sprain, but he is expected to participate in Friday's showdown with the Trail Blazers.
Usman Garuba (PF)	Ques Wed	Ankle - 17 / 03 / 22	8-5	6-7	+ -
Garuba has sat out the last three contests dealing with an ankle sprain, and it is undecided if he will participate in Wednesday's showdown with the Mavericks.
Eric Gordon (SG)	Prob Mon	Knee - 13 / 03 / 22	8-7	7-8	+ -
Gordon has been absent from the previous four contests due to right knee tendinitis, but it is projected that he will be active for Monday's tilt against the Wizards.
Dennis Schroder (PG)	Ques Wed	Illness - 13 / 03 / 22	8-7	7-8	+ -
Schroder sat out the last game with a non-COVID-19 illness, and it has yet to be established if he will battle the Suns on Wednesday.
Chris Smith (SF)	out for season	Knee - 10 / 03 / 22	9-8	9-8	+ -
Smith is out of commission with a left knee sprain, and team officials project that he will not play in the 2021-22 season.
Dennis Schroder (PG)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 10 / 03 / 22	9-8	9-8	+ -
Schroder is dealing with a right ankle sprain, but it is likely that he will play Friday against the Mavericks.