The Raptors play their first game at Scotiabank Arena since Jan. 26 on Friday as they welcome the Houston Rockets.
The Rockets will not have former Dinos star Fred VanVleet available due to injury. Toronto is -2.5 on the NBA odds.
Rockets vs. Raptors NBA Betting Odds
Teams in opposite conferences in the NBA play just once in each other’s cities, and thus Raptors fans only get to see Western Conference stars like LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, etc., once a season in person. Unfortunately, Houston’s lone visit to Toronto is on Friday and former Raptors franchise icon Fred VanVleet will not be able to play.
He did play last Friday in Houston when the Rockets routed the Raptors 135-106 and had 10 points and six assists. FVV played the game after that Sunday but suffered a left adductor strain at some point and hasn’t taken the court since. He probably will not return until after the All-Star break.
Rookie forward Amen Thompson replaced him in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s 132-129 loss at Indiana and had 13 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Houston coach Ime Udoka only started one guard Tuesday, so it may be a matter of matchups whether Thompson goes again Friday or someone like veteran guard Aaron Holiday gets the call. Thompson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, had a career-high 19 points off the bench in that first meeting with Toronto.
Houston now leads the all-time series 30-25 but is 9-18 as the road team and has dropped three straight.
Houston Rockets
We told you last week that Houston has been great at home and awful on the road and nothing has changed as the Rockets enter 0-2 on their four-game road trip and a brutal 5-18 away from home. As noted above, they were 132-129 losers at Indiana on Tuesday. Used to be that scoring 129 points meant a sure victory. Not in today’s NBA. Breakout star centre Alperen Sengun had 20 points and 10 rebounds for his sixth straight double-double. Jalen Green, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft, had 30 points and has hit that mark in three of his past five. Canadian Dillon Brooks had 23 points after averaging 8.7 ppg the prior three games. Houston’s 23 wins this season are one more than the entire 2022-23 campaign. The Rockets are 18-3 when leading after three quarters and 5-24 when tied or trailing. They are 6-7 in games decided by five or fewer points this season and 1-4 in overtime. Houston is 5-0 ATS in its past five vs. Eastern Conference teams.
Toronto Raptors
Friday should be the Raptors debuts of centre Kelly Olynyk and former NCAA Tournament Final Four Most Outstanding Player Ochai Agbaji, a guard. They were acquired Thursday from Utah for Kira Lewis Jr., Otto Porter Jr. and a 2024 first-round pick. Olynyk, a Canadian national team star, will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The 23-year-old Agbaji led Kansas to the 2022 national championship and was a first-round pick that year by Cleveland but eventually shipped to Utah in the Donovan Mitchell trade. Toronto also acquired guard Spencer Dinwiddie from Brooklyn for Dennis Schroder and Thaddeus Young, but Dinwiddie reportedly will be bought out by the Dinos.
Toronto looks for back-to-back wins for the first time since Jan. 1-3 as it comes off a 123-117 win in Charlotte on Wednesday. RJ Barrett was back in the lineup and had 23 points, and Scottie Barnes, who was named to the All-Star Game earlier Wednesday as injury replacement, had 18 points, five assists and four rebounds. Wednesday marked the 15th time this season that Toronto had all five starters score at least 10 points, which is third-most in the NBA. The Raptors overcame a 15-point deficit, the fourth largest comeback this season. They finished their six-game trip at 2-4. Toronto is 1-8 ATS in its past nine Friday games.
NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Rockets vs. Raptors?
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
| time | fav | line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening 9 Feb 1:48am | TOR | -2.5 -115 | O +231.5 -110 |
| Closing 10 Feb 1:00am | TOR | -2.5 -110 | O +235.5 -110 |
- Regular Season
Rockets Team Leaders
| Points |
21.13 |
| Assists |
8.07 |
| Rebounds |
9.35 |
| FG% |
64.3 |
| Steals |
1.41 |
| Blocks |
0.86 |
| Points |
21.75 |
| Assists |
6.76 |
| Rebounds |
8.58 |
| FG% |
65.6 |
| Steals |
1.5 |
| Blocks |
1.64 |
- Regular Season
Raptors Team Leaders
| Points |
21.13 |
| Assists |
8.07 |
| Rebounds |
9.35 |
| FG% |
64.3 |
| Steals |
1.41 |
| Blocks |
0.86 |
| Points |
21.75 |
| Assists |
6.76 |
| Rebounds |
8.58 |
| FG% |
65.6 |
| Steals |
1.5 |
| Blocks |
1.64 |
Injuries
Dillon Brooks (SG)
Fred VanVleet (PG)
Jae'Sean Tate (SF)
Amen Thompson (SG)
Cam Whitmore (SF)
Alperen Sengun (C)
Jeff Green (PF)
Jalen Green (SG)
Reggie Bullock Jr. (SG)
Alperen Sengun (C)
RJ Barrett (SF)
Mouhamadou Gueye (PF)
Immanuel Quickley (SG)
Gary Trent Jr. (SG)
RJ Barrett (SF)
Bruce Brown (PG)
Jordan Nwora (PF)
Kelly Olynyk (PF)
Immanuel Quickley (SG)
Gradey Dick (SG)
Injuries
| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dillon Brooks (SG) | Out Sun | Hip - 13 / 04 / 24 | 1-1 | 2-0 | + - |
|
Brooks is laid up with left adductor soreness, and he will not face the Clippers in Sunday's tilt. |
|||||
| Fred VanVleet (PG) | Out Sun | Hip - 12 / 04 / 24 | 2-1 | 3-0 | + - |
|
VanVleet missed the last game with a right hip contusion, and he will not be available Sunday against the Clippers. |
|||||
| Jae'Sean Tate (SF) | out for season | Ankle - 05 / 04 / 24 | 2-4 | 6-0 | + - |
|
Tate will sit out the rest of the season with a right ankle sprain. |
|||||
| Amen Thompson (SG) | Prob Sun | Ankle - 05 / 04 / 24 | 2-4 | 6-0 | + - |
|
Thompson missed the previous game with a left ankle sprain, but it is projected that he will face the Mavericks on Sunday. |
|||||
| Cam Whitmore (SF) | Prob Sun | Knee - 12 / 03 / 24 | 11-7 | 14-4 | + - |
|
Whitmore has been out of commission with a right knee sprain, but he is expected to return against the Mavericks on Sunday. |
|||||
| Alperen Sengun (C) | Out indefinitely | Knee - 10 / 03 / 24 | 12-7 | 15-4 | + - |
|
Sengun will miss an extended period with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain. |
|||||
| Jeff Green (PF) | Prob Sun | Knee - 06 / 03 / 24 | 15-7 | 16-6 | + - |
|
Green has been out the previous two matchups with left knee soreness, but he is expected to take the court Sunday against the Kings. |
|||||
| Jalen Green (SG) | Prob Thurs | Illness - 29 / 02 / 24 | 16-8 | 16-8 | + - |
|
Green is ailing from an illness, but it is likely that he will lace up for Thursday's clash with the Suns. |
|||||
| Reggie Bullock Jr. (SG) | Prob Thurs | Back - 13 / 02 / 24 | 18-12 | 18-11-1 | + - |
|
Bullock Jr. was held out of the previous match due to lower-back soreness, but it is believed he will take on the Pelicans on Thursday. |
|||||
| Alperen Sengun (C) | Ques Mon | Back - 10 / 02 / 24 | 19-13 | 19-12-1 | + - |
|
Sengun missed the previous game due to lower-back pain, and it is up in the air whether he will face the Knicks on Monday. |
|||||
| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RJ Barrett (SF) | Out Sun | Knee - 14 / 04 / 24 | 0-1 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Barrett is bothered by knee soreness, and he will not battle the Heat on Sunday. |
|||||
| Mouhamadou Gueye (PF) | Out Sun | Thumb - 13 / 04 / 24 | 0-1 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Gueye is hampered by a right thumb sprain, and he will not take on the Heat in Sunday's showdown. |
|||||
| Immanuel Quickley (SG) | Out Sun | Hip - 13 / 04 / 24 | 0-1 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Quickley is laid up with a left adductor strain, and he will not participate in Sunday's tilt against the Heat. |
|||||
| Gary Trent Jr. (SG) | Ques Fri | Back - 10 / 04 / 24 | 1-2 | 2-1 | + - |
|
Trent Jr. was held out of the last contest due to back spasms, and it is undetermined if he will take on the Heat on Friday. |
|||||
| RJ Barrett (SF) | Out Wed | Rest - 10 / 04 / 24 | 1-2 | 2-1 | + - |
|
Barrett will not partake in Wednesday's showdown versus the Nets as he will be given a day of rest. |
|||||
| Bruce Brown (PG) | Ques Fri | Knee - 10 / 04 / 24 | 1-2 | 2-1 | + - |
|
Brown sat out the previous game with right knee inflammation, and it is unknown if he will face the Heat on Friday. |
|||||
| Jordan Nwora (PF) | Prob Wed | Undisclosed - 10 / 04 / 24 | 1-2 | 2-1 | + - |
|
Nwora exited the previous game with an undefined issue, but it is projected that he will dress for Wednesday's matchup with the Nets. |
|||||
| Kelly Olynyk (PF) | Out Wed | Rest - 10 / 04 / 24 | 1-2 | 2-1 | + - |
|
Olynyk will not be available for Wednesday's clash with the Nets as he will receive a day of rest. |
|||||
| Immanuel Quickley (SG) | Out Tues | Rest - 08 / 04 / 24 | 2-2 | 3-1 | + - |
|
Quickley will not be active for Tuesday's clash with the Pacers as he will be given a day of rest. |
|||||
| Gradey Dick (SG) | Prob Wed | Groin - 07 / 04 / 24 | 3-2 | 3-2 | + - |
|
Dick missed the last game with a right groin contusion, but it is projected that he will line up against the Nets on Wednesday. |
|||||
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Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time fav line total Opening 9 Feb 1:48am TOR -2.5 -115 O +231.5 -110 Closing 10 Feb 1:00am TOR -2.5 -110 O +235.5 -110 -
- Regular Season
Rockets Team Leaders
Points 21.13
Assists 8.07
Rebounds 9.35
FG% 64.3
Steals 1.41
Blocks 0.86
Points 21.75
Assists 6.76
Rebounds 8.58
FG% 65.6
Steals 1.5
Blocks 1.64
-
- Regular Season
Raptors Team Leaders
Points 21.13
Assists 8.07
Rebounds 9.35
FG% 64.3
Steals 1.41
Blocks 0.86
Points 21.75
Assists 6.76
Rebounds 8.58
FG% 65.6
Steals 1.5
Blocks 1.64
-
Injuries
Dillon Brooks (SG)
Out Sun Hip - 13 / 04 / 24Fred VanVleet (PG)
Out Sun Hip - 12 / 04 / 24Jae'Sean Tate (SF)
out for season Ankle - 05 / 04 / 24Amen Thompson (SG)
Prob Sun Ankle - 05 / 04 / 24Cam Whitmore (SF)
Prob Sun Knee - 12 / 03 / 24Alperen Sengun (C)
Out indefinitely Knee - 10 / 03 / 24Jeff Green (PF)
Prob Sun Knee - 06 / 03 / 24Jalen Green (SG)
Prob Thurs Illness - 29 / 02 / 24Reggie Bullock Jr. (SG)
Prob Thurs Back - 13 / 02 / 24Alperen Sengun (C)
Ques Mon Back - 10 / 02 / 24RJ Barrett (SF)
Out Sun Knee - 14 / 04 / 24Mouhamadou Gueye (PF)
Out Sun Thumb - 13 / 04 / 24Immanuel Quickley (SG)
Out Sun Hip - 13 / 04 / 24Gary Trent Jr. (SG)
Ques Fri Back - 10 / 04 / 24RJ Barrett (SF)
Out Wed Rest - 10 / 04 / 24Bruce Brown (PG)
Ques Fri Knee - 10 / 04 / 24Jordan Nwora (PF)
Prob Wed Undisclosed - 10 / 04 / 24Kelly Olynyk (PF)
Out Wed Rest - 10 / 04 / 24Immanuel Quickley (SG)
Out Tues Rest - 08 / 04 / 24Gradey Dick (SG)
Prob Wed Groin - 07 / 04 / 24Injuries
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Dillon Brooks (SG) Out Sun Hip - 13 / 04 / 24 1-1 2-0 + - Brooks is laid up with left adductor soreness, and he will not face the Clippers in Sunday's tilt.
Fred VanVleet (PG) Out Sun Hip - 12 / 04 / 24 2-1 3-0 + - VanVleet missed the last game with a right hip contusion, and he will not be available Sunday against the Clippers.
Jae'Sean Tate (SF) out for season Ankle - 05 / 04 / 24 2-4 6-0 + - Tate will sit out the rest of the season with a right ankle sprain.
Amen Thompson (SG) Prob Sun Ankle - 05 / 04 / 24 2-4 6-0 + - Thompson missed the previous game with a left ankle sprain, but it is projected that he will face the Mavericks on Sunday.
Cam Whitmore (SF) Prob Sun Knee - 12 / 03 / 24 11-7 14-4 + - Whitmore has been out of commission with a right knee sprain, but he is expected to return against the Mavericks on Sunday.
Alperen Sengun (C) Out indefinitely Knee - 10 / 03 / 24 12-7 15-4 + - Sengun will miss an extended period with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain.
Jeff Green (PF) Prob Sun Knee - 06 / 03 / 24 15-7 16-6 + - Green has been out the previous two matchups with left knee soreness, but he is expected to take the court Sunday against the Kings.
Jalen Green (SG) Prob Thurs Illness - 29 / 02 / 24 16-8 16-8 + - Green is ailing from an illness, but it is likely that he will lace up for Thursday's clash with the Suns.
Reggie Bullock Jr. (SG) Prob Thurs Back - 13 / 02 / 24 18-12 18-11-1 + - Bullock Jr. was held out of the previous match due to lower-back soreness, but it is believed he will take on the Pelicans on Thursday.
Alperen Sengun (C) Ques Mon Back - 10 / 02 / 24 19-13 19-12-1 + - Sengun missed the previous game due to lower-back pain, and it is up in the air whether he will face the Knicks on Monday.
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes RJ Barrett (SF) Out Sun Knee - 14 / 04 / 24 0-1 1-0 + - Barrett is bothered by knee soreness, and he will not battle the Heat on Sunday.
Mouhamadou Gueye (PF) Out Sun Thumb - 13 / 04 / 24 0-1 1-0 + - Gueye is hampered by a right thumb sprain, and he will not take on the Heat in Sunday's showdown.
Immanuel Quickley (SG) Out Sun Hip - 13 / 04 / 24 0-1 1-0 + - Quickley is laid up with a left adductor strain, and he will not participate in Sunday's tilt against the Heat.
Gary Trent Jr. (SG) Ques Fri Back - 10 / 04 / 24 1-2 2-1 + - Trent Jr. was held out of the last contest due to back spasms, and it is undetermined if he will take on the Heat on Friday.
RJ Barrett (SF) Out Wed Rest - 10 / 04 / 24 1-2 2-1 + - Barrett will not partake in Wednesday's showdown versus the Nets as he will be given a day of rest.
Bruce Brown (PG) Ques Fri Knee - 10 / 04 / 24 1-2 2-1 + - Brown sat out the previous game with right knee inflammation, and it is unknown if he will face the Heat on Friday.
Jordan Nwora (PF) Prob Wed Undisclosed - 10 / 04 / 24 1-2 2-1 + - Nwora exited the previous game with an undefined issue, but it is projected that he will dress for Wednesday's matchup with the Nets.
Kelly Olynyk (PF) Out Wed Rest - 10 / 04 / 24 1-2 2-1 + - Olynyk will not be available for Wednesday's clash with the Nets as he will receive a day of rest.
Immanuel Quickley (SG) Out Tues Rest - 08 / 04 / 24 2-2 3-1 + - Quickley will not be active for Tuesday's clash with the Pacers as he will be given a day of rest.
Gradey Dick (SG) Prob Wed Groin - 07 / 04 / 24 3-2 3-2 + - Dick missed the last game with a right groin contusion, but it is projected that he will line up against the Nets on Wednesday.