Toronto Raptors vs. Phoenix Suns Prediction, NBA Odds
Phoenix is a 2.5-point underdog on the NBA odds with a total of 219.5.
Raptors vs. Suns NBA Betting Odds
Toronto visits Utah on Monday and is 5-7 in the front end of a back-to-back after going a brutal 3-12 last season in that scenario. Both these clubs will play extra basketball come April but whether either gets into the full-field playoffs remains up in the air.
The Raptors seem in good shape to avoid the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament sitting fifth in the conference, but the Suns may have to that route in the much deeper West as they are seventh and four games behind No. 6 Denver and Minnesota to avoid the Play-In. I don’t see that happening. That Phoenix will even reach the Play-In is moderately impressive after trading Kevin Durant in the off-season as this was supposed to be a bit of a gap year.
Toronto eyes the season sweep as it was a 5.5-point home favourite vs. Phoenix on March 13 and prevailed 122-115 behind 36 points from Brandon Ingram. The Dinos trailed 105-95 with 8:12 left in the final period before rallying. Phoenix got 34 points from Jalen Green and 31 from Devin Booker. The Raptors have lost their past three in the desert, though, and are 10-19 there all-time.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors had every chance to extend a four-game winning streak on Friday night when they took a 94-85 lead into the fourth quarter in Denver, one of the toughest places in the NBA to win, but the Nuggets closed on a 6-0 run to win by six. Jakob Poeltl had one of his best games of the season with 23 points (season high) and 11 rebounds in nearly playing three-time MVP Nikola Jokic to a draw. All five Toronto starters finished in double-digit points and were plus-15 together but only shared the floor for 17 minutes. RJ Barrett had 18 points for a season-best 10th straight game with at least 15. He’s shooting a stellar 57.8 per cent from the field in that stretch. Poeltl could see fewer minutes Sunday as first-round rookie Collin Murray-Boyles has been upgraded to questionable. CMB has missed 10 straight due to a thumb injury. Toronto is 8-8 ATS as a road favourite this season.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns have been without starters Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams for a while, and they were joined on the bench Saturday vs. Milwaukee by the likes of Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neal and Haywood Highsmith in the front end of a back-to-back. Perhaps all three were simply sitting for injury management reasons. Allen would be the big one as he’s third on the club in scoring at 16.2 PPG. Probably not a shock, then, that the short-handed team was upset by the lousy Bucks, 108-105, for a fifth straight defeat. Devin Booker is having a great season but was awful at 4-for-17 for 14 points. Booker missed three shots that would’ve given the Suns the lead in the final 1:44, and he turned the ball over with 37.7 seconds left. So expect duly motivated tonight unless he sits in the second of a B2B. With this skid, I doubt Booker sits. The Suns are 5-8 ATS with no rest this season, among the worst cover per centages in the league.
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