The Toronto Raptors (35-30) stop by Footprint Center Friday to play the Phoenix Suns (53-13) at 9 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Raptors vs. Suns odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
Toronto snapped a 3-game losing skid Wednesday by beating the Spurs 119-104 in San Antonio as a 1-point road favorite. Since the All-Star break, the Raptors are 3-5 straight up (SU) and 2-6 against the spread (ATS).
Phoenix has won 4 of its last 5 games (4-1 ATS) including back-to-back road victories at the Orlando Magic Tuesday (102-99) and the Miami Heat Wednesday (111-90).
The Suns beat the Raptors 99-95 in Toronto in their first meeting this season Jan. 11 but failed to cover by a hook as 4.5-point road favorites.
Raptors at Suns 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 1:14 p.m. ET.
- Money line (ML): Raptors +165 (bet $100 to win $165) | Suns -205 (bet $205 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Raptors +4.5 (-105) | Suns -4.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 221.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
Raptors at Suns key injuries
Raptors
- SF OG Anunoby (finger) out
Suns
- SF Cameron Johnson (quadriceps) out
- PG Chris Paul (hand) out
[tipico]
Raptors at Suns odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Raptors 113, Suns 111
Money line
SPRINKLE on the RAPTORS (+165) with the plan of hitting their spread harder. I plan on fading the Suns in their games against quality, well-coached teams, and Toronto is such.
The Raptors have an elite point guard in All-Star Fred VanVleet, so CP3’s absence for the Suns should be felt in this spot. Toronto has the second-best defensive efficiency versus pick-and-roll (PnR) action through ball handlers and Phoenix runs the sixth-highest rate of PnR action through ball handlers.
Furthermore, Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is a known defensive wizard and it should be a lot easier for Nurse to confuse the Suns defensively considering they are without their floor general in Paul.
I’d also argue that Toronto’s best two players (VanVleet and PF Pascal Siakam) are better than Phoenix’s (All-Star SG Devin Booker and C Deandre Ayton).
Finally, there’s reverse-line movement (RLM) in Toronto’s direction as roughly 90% of the action is on Phoenix, according to Pregame.com. But the Raptors have been lowered from +220 ML underdogs on the opener and it’s a red flag whenever sportsbooks make the more popular side cheaper.
Again, I’d only SPRINKLE on RAPTORS (+165) if at all because Toronto’s spread is the much sharper play.
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Against the spread
BET RAPTORS +4.5 (-105).
Toronto is 11-6 ATS on the road versus teams with a winning record and 12-10-1 ATS as a road underdog (plus-2.7 ATS margin). Phoenix is 4-8 ATS at home versus winning teams and 16-18 ATS as a home favorite.
RAPTORS +4.5 (-105) is my favorite wager in this game.
Over/Under
Slight LEAN to the OVER 221.5 (-115) because Toronto is 12-11 O/U as a road underdog, Phoenix is 19-15 O/U as a home favorite and both of these teams play more to the Over versus opponents with a winning record.
On top of that, the first Raptors-Suns meeting this season went Under the 222-point total by 28 points, so I’d prefer to fade that result.
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