The Toronto Raptors pulled out a 125-122 double-overtime victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. Game 7 will be played Friday in the Orlando bubble with a 9 p.m. ET tip-off. The winner advances to face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Below, we analyze the Celtics-Raptors Game 7 betting odds and lines, with NBA picks and best bets.
Celtics vs. Raptors: Key injuries
Celtics
- C Vincent Poirier (personal) out
- SF Gordon Hayward (ankle) out
Get some action on this game or any other matchup with an NBA bet at BetMGM in NJ, IN, CO and WV. Bet now!
Celtics vs. Raptors: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Thursday at 11:11 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Raptors 104, Celtics 99
Moneyline (ML)
The higher-seeded RAPTORS (+115) have erased series deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to take this series the distance and now have the chance to return to the Eastern Conference Finals with one more win over the rival Celtics (-139).
Toronto led by four points going into the fourth quarter of Game 6 after outscoring Boston 33-25 in the third frame to wipe away a four-point halftime deficit. The Raps shot 19-for-47 from 3-point range in the win with the Celtics going 19-for-46. The defending champs hit on 18 of 25 free-throw attempts but made just three more bonus shots than the Celtics on seven more chances.
Raps PG Kyle Lowry was the game’s leading scorer with 33 points in 53:28 of floor time. SG Norman Powell, who played 38:20 off the bench, was second on his team with 23 points. PF Pascal Siakam (12 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists) continued his offensive struggles in the series.
Both teams had three players top 50 minutes in the double-overtime affair, so fatigue should negatively affect both sides equally. Lean on the RAPTORS (+115) at plus-money as the higher-seeded team from the regular season with the value in what should be an evenly-priced Game 7. Toronto opened the series as a heavy favorite to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals but are now discounted.
Also see:
- Celtics Wire – The latest Celtics coverage
- Toronto Raptors rumors (HoopsHype)
- HoopsHype – The latest NBA coverage
Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Again in this series, we’ll PASS on the spread while liking the Raptors (+2.5, -110) much more at plus-money to win outright as slight underdogs rather than paying for the single bucket of insurance in the event of a loss.
There’s value in the Celtics’ (-2.5, -110) side of the line based on their two double-digit point wins in the series.
Over/Under (O/U)
Game 6 was the first of the series to go Over the projected total and it took double-overtime to get there.
Lean to the UNDER 203.5 (-110) with the extra pressures of Game 7 putting an even greater focus on play at the defensive ends of the court.
Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1368]