The Toronto Raptors (32-25) meet the Charlotte Hornets (29-31) Friday at Spectrum Center for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off. Below, we look at the Raptors vs. Hornets odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
Toronto is 8-2 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) in the 10 games prior to the All-Star break. The Raptors are seventh in the East, 1 game behind the sixth-place Boston Celtics for a non-play-in seed.
Charlotte lost nine of 10 before the break (2-6-2 ATS) including three straight to the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat. The Hornets are ninth in the East, 1 game ahead of the 11-seed Washington Wizards with the Atlanta Hawks sandwiched in between.
The Raptors are 2-0 SU and ATS versus the Hornets this season and the total is 1-1 Over/Under (O/U).
Raptors at Hornets odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:12 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Raptors -145 (bet $145 to win $100) | Hornets +120 (bet $100 to win $120)
- Against the spread: Raptors -2.5 (-115) | Hornets +2.5 (-107)
- Over/Under: 225.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
Raptors at Hornets key injuries
Raptors
- PG Fred VanVleet (knee) questionable
Hornets
- SF Gordon Hayward (ankle) out
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Raptors at Hornets odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Raptors 118, Hornets 108
Money line
GIMME the RAPTORS (-145) for 1 unit because they owned the Hornets in their first two meetings this season and I don’t see that changing much Friday.
Where Toronto has a stranglehold over Charlotte is on the wing where Raptors forwards Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby have been dominant versus the Hornets this season.
Siakam is averaging 24.0 points on 65.9% true shooting (.594/.500/.700) with 10.0 rebounds, 10.0 assists and a plus-23 net rating in the first two Raptors-Hornets meetings, while Anunoby is scoring 22.0 on 50.0% shooting with 8.0 rebounds and a plus-18 net rating in those games.
Furthermore, Toronto has sunk 44.9% of its 3-point attempts versus Charlotte this season, has a plus-18 rebounding margin and has outscored the Hornets in six of their eight quarters in their first two meetings.
I’d BET the RAPTORS (-145) all the way up to -160 at which point, I’d just lay the points with Toronto.
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Against the spread
“LEAN” to the RAPTORS -2.5 (-115) only because I prefer their money line (ML) and would only bet Toronto’s spread if the ML goes north of -160.
The Raptors have covered five of their past six games as road favorites and the presumed sharp side of the market is betting Toronto.
For instance, more cash is on the Raptors but more bets have been placed on the Hornets at the time of writing, according to Pregame.com. Typically, in sports betting, it’s wise to follow the money when it’s opposite the public.
Over/Under
PASS because my prediction aligns too closely to the projected total so there’s no value on either side.
Toronto is 2-5 O/U as a road favorite and Charlotte is 7-8-1 O/U as a home underdog but the Over is 11-4-1 in the last 16 Raptors-Hornets meetings.
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